Batgirl: Betrayal
by Jpbake
Summary: Barbara Gordon considered her a friend, she trusted her and roomed with her for the past year and a half, then she betrayed her. Setting the Joker free, Harley Quinn has no idea the monster she just let loose. Now Barbara has to fight not only Gotham's most infamous criminal from unleashing a terror onto Gotham unlike it's ever seen, but also try to pull her friend from his grasps.
1. Chapter 1

**I promised you a sequel to Batgirl Origins, and here it is. The second story in my four part Batgirl Saga Batgirl: Betrayal. If you haven't read Batgirl Origins yet I highly suggest you do so first because of overlapping themes.  
**

 **For everyone else, please enjoy.**

She couldn't feel her legs as she was dragged farther and farther down the grassy field. All she could see was the darkness of the night sky and all she could hear was the manical laughter of the man dragging her away.

The Joker had broken out of Arkham and had gone on a wild killing spree ever since his escape, killing cops, doctors, all while plotting his newest attack on Gotham, turning Gotham as mad as he was.

And the worst part of it was, Joker was freed by someone Batgirl considered a friend. Batgirl didn't know how Joker did it, but somehow while in Arkham Joker had brainwashed and convinced one of Batgirl's closest friends to break him out of Gotham, and kill for him. In fact it was Batgirl's friend that was the one that pulled the trigger and shot Batgirl. Batgirl had Joker down and defeated when she felt the bullet enter her spine. Now as she was being drug through the grass didn't know what hurt her the most, the fact that she got shot in the spine and was being drug through the hard grass by her feet by Gotham's most imfamous super criminal, the clown prince of crime, or that her best friend was responsible for all of this, having fallen in love with the mad man and betrayed her? Whatever it was, she was power less to fight back, and after being dragged across the grass for what felt like a eternity, she finally caught a glimps of where the clown prince of crime was taking her, Arkham Asylum.

 _ **Three weeks earlier.**_

"Step on it hurry!" A thug shouted as his getaway car sped down the busy Gotham streets. Four thugs, all dressed in clown masks went speeding down the streets in a black Cadillac, one of the thugs had half of his torso hanging out of the open window shooting a machine gun at the person chasing after them.

That person just happened to be Batgirl. Getting notified from Alfred about a robbery at a popular gun shop downtown Batgirl went to interfere. She arrived on her bat cycle just as the thugs were trying to escape.

It had been a little over a year and a half since the defeat of Black Mask and his gang. Batgirl had done a pretty good job keeping the streets clean during that time. With the help of Commissioner Gordan Batgirl flushed out the rest of Gotham's underground crime lords trying to take advantage of Batman's absence and shut them down for good. Now the majority of the crime involved armed robberies that posed no real challenge for Batgirl. Sure there was those that tried to pull a weapon on Batgirl and fight back. But the vast majority of them the second they saw Batgirl turned high tail and ran.

Then there was those that both ran and tried to fight, like these guys. These men worked for the Joker and the second they spotted Batgirl they sped off, hoping in vain that they could escape her. Joker's men had came out of the shadows for the first time since his arrest and had started pulling robberies at gun shops. This robbery had been the third one within a week. Batgirl didn't know why they waited until now to strike but with this being their third robbery she was desperate for answers. As Batgirl sped after the robbers the robbers knew Batgirl was to fast and with no chance to out run her, their only option was to try to shoot her down. Batgirl was having none of it, the second the bullets came flying Batgirl tilted her body to the right, easily escaping the bullets that were sent flying her way. She waited patiently, until the thug ran out of bullets, then she made her move. Taking out a batarange she knocked the gun out of the thug's hand, sticking the sharp end of the batarange in the process. The thug screamed in pain as he went back inside the car, then Batgirl made her next move. Taking out another batarange she threw it at the rear tires, puncturing them. Due to the high speed the car was going the car started spinning out of control. It soon flipped over and slammed into a light pole.

Three of the thugs were knocked unconscious, but the driver still was awake enough to attempt a foolish escape. Opening the drivers door the thug tried unsuccessfully to try to crawl his way to freedom. He was soon met with Batgirl's boot to his back. He was quickly picked up by the back of his collar and slammed against the light pole.

"I know you work for Joker," Batgirl growled "What are you planning to do with those weapons?"

"None of your business bat freak!" That answer only made Batgirl madder, she lifted the thug up off the ground only to slam him even harder against the light pole.

"You robbed and attempted to steal over thirty heavy caliber assault rifles, that makes it my business. Now I'm going to ask you again, what are you planning to do with those weapons?"

"Your the detective, you figure it out. I'm not telling you nothing. You think I haven't been interrogated before by the Batman? What makes you think I would be scared of you?"

Furious, Batgirl through the guy hard against the pavement, and delivered a blow to his head knocking him out. She then tied all four of the thugs up against the light pole and left a note for her father to pick them up along with the weapons. She then drove off to the Bat cave to try to figure out just what Joker's men was planning to do with those guns.

Alfred was there to greet her when she arrived, as Batgirl parked the bat cycle Alfred was there with a box wrapped up in a bow.

"Happy Birthday Miss Gordon."

"Alfred, you know my Birthday isn't till tomorrow right?" Barbara responded taking off her cowl and accepting the gift from Alfred.

"Actually Miss Gordon it is ten minutes past midnight which means it is now technically your birthday. It is also the day of your big presentation at Wayne Tech, I highly advice going home and getting some sleep. Master Wayne often fell asleep at many of his own meeting by staying up late playing hero.

"Joker's men are planning something Alfred, something big. I have to find out what it is."

"Well will you at least open your gift first before you continue? I worked really hard on that."

Barbara sighed and opened the gift "A motorcycle helmet?" Inside was a midnight black helmet with a yellow bat symbol painted above a black tinted visor

"If your going to be driving that motorcycle Miss Gordon I highly suggest wearing protection."

"I'm pretty sure my armored cowl provides enough protection."

"A little extra wouldn't hurt. Who knows if you ever end up in a horrific crash."

"You don't trust my driving?"

"Well you are taking those turns sort of sharp."

"Were you always this tough on Bruce?"

"Oh your getting it easy compared to him."

Barbara let out a small chuckle imagining some of the overprotective dad comments Bruce has received from Alfred. "Thanks for the gift Alfred, now let's get to the more important stuff, Joker's gang." Barbara set the helmet down and walked toward the bat computer. She pulled up the recent crime reports and highlighted the most recent attacks pulled by the Joker gang.

"Over the past week there has been three attacks on local gun shops, all pulled by the Joker's gang."

"Putting Joker away was one of the last thing Master Bruce did before he left Gotham." Alfred pointed out.

"Here's the thing, Joker's gang has been mostly silent for the past year and a half after Joker's arrest. Why wait a year and a half before committing crimes again?

"Perhaps they are planning a possible break out maybe?" Alfred suggested

"I hate to imagine what would happen if that madman got out." Barbara thought "Before Batman put him away the last time Joker was working on creating a army of Jokers to over run Gotham. Ace Chemical's got destroyed in the battle and several of Joker's men got blown up in the battle before Batman could save them."

"He's had a whole year and a half worth of time to plan and plot his next move..." Alfred thought

"And Joker's men are now working on freeing him." Barbara finished "Alfred set a anonymous tip to my Father, tell him to double the security at Arkham Joker must not escape again.

"Will do and in the mean time I will also have him set up extra security at any and all shops in Gotham that sells weapons. In the meantime Barbara I do suggest you get some sleep, you don't want to come across as drowsy at your presentation do you?"

"Yes _dad!"_ Barbara sassed as she left the Batcave and headed home.

Alfred just chuckled to himself. "Well at least she has more of a sense of humor compared to Master Wayne."

 **You all knew the Joker was coming, I left hints all over the first story. Hope you liked this chapter, if so please favorite and follow and leave a review and I will see you next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Welcome Citizens of Gotham City," Barbara spoke to a crowd outside Wayne Enterprise the following afternoon. After experimenting on the Miracle walker, a special chip created to reverse crippling spinal injuries, she was now ready to introduce it to the world. Hundreds of people from the police force, news, military, hospital, as well as other citizens curious about the new device came to see this "Miracle walker" in person. Among the many guest was Barbara's room mates and best friends Harleen "Harley" Quinzell and Sarah Strong. Harley was recording the whole thing on her phone while Sarah was giving her two big thumbs up and a huge grin for encouragement. Barbara's father was also there on the front row, not just because he was her father and wanted to be there for moral support, but also as a cop something like this could prove wonders to getting injured cops back on the field.

"Today is a big day not just for the future of Gotham but for the future of Medical work in general." Jim gave Barbara the thumbs up from the crowd encouraging her to go on. Barbara pulled out a small square mechanical chip and showed it to the crowd. "I know that this don't look like much, but this chip is the key to getting people long paralyzed to walk again. This chip that I call the Miracle Walker sends small electronic shock waves through the spine that helps heal and straighten up the spine better then any surgery can ever do. But I know that I probably just win you over off my words alone, so let me show you a actual live patient that we experimented on."

A middle aged man walked up on stage and stood next to Barbara. Barbara had a projector screen behind her that showed the audience pictures on the now walking man back when he was crippled. "This man is named Oscar Chase, twenty years ago he was a officer in my dads police force when he got shot and crippled in a shoot out that left two other of his fellow officers dead. He became paralyzed from the waist down and had to retire. But thanks to the Miracle Chip he can finally for the first time in twenty years walk again.

The crowd was stunned over the fact that a man long crippled was now walking and many in the crowd stood up and started applauding her. One reporter though wasn't quite yet convinced over her so called "Miracle Walker."

"Yes, Miss Gordon isn't it?" The reporter, a tall thin, middle aged man in glassed said raising his hand. "Jack Ryder, Gotham News, um, if you don't mind me asking how can we be convinced that something like this is actually legit?"

"Explain Mister Ryder?" Barbara asked

"Well obviously with today's technology someone can easily fake a picture like that you are showing on your screen in order to win one's product over. "How can we be so sure that something like a simple chip can suddenly make someone crippled for years to just suddenly walk again? That sounds technically impossible. I don't think I am quite yet convinced."

"You're right Mr. Ryder a photo can be cropped to show something that wasn't real, and do you know how that is Mr. Ryder? Because of advancement in technology. I know something like this sounds impossible, but two hundred years ago the idea of automobiles seemed impossible, the same with phones and computers and most technology we use today. Just because something seems impossible doesn't mean it isn't, proven history has shown that and just not with our technological advancements. In Metropolis we got a flying alien from a destroyed planet saving the city, and in Central city we got a man who can run faster then light. You talk about stuff being impossible but we see the impossible everyday in other cities."

"And if you still think that this is fake, I can give you witnesses that will prove that this man was indeed crippled. One being Oscar's wife who just so happens to be in the audience just two rows behind you." Jack turned around and saw Oscar's wife stand up to show herself. "You can also ask my dad and anybody else who was in the G.C.P.D at that time. And you can also ask the man who is serving a life sentence for the murder of his fellow officers. I assume you are a smart man Mr Ryder being a reporter and all. You like to follow the facts. You follow the facts and you will see that everything I showed you on this stage is true."

Jack Ryder was silent and he soon sat down defeated.

"That's what I thought." Barbara smirked victorious.

The rest of the presentation went smoothly and once it was over every hospital in Gotham was rushing to her begging to by the product. Barbara found herself surrounded by a dozen of different hospital managers and CEO's asking Barbara to name her price on the thing. It took some time but Barbara was finally able to squeeze her way out of the doctor's swarming her... Only to be caught sandwiched in a hug from her two best friends.

"Babs you have outdone yourself this time." Sarah replied

"Really, because I thought my stage presence was a bit off" Barbara joked

"Screw the stage presence!" Harley replied "That product of yours is one of the coolest thing I have ever seen."

"Well I'm just trying to help people, same as you two."

"And the way you took that idiot reporter in his place," Harley replied "Damn I wish I had got a picture of his face after you were done, I bet it was priceless."

"I am actually surprised that you two came," Barbara replied "Considering you two usually work at this time..."

"Girl no way are we missing out on your presentations." Sarah replied "Your like our little sister."

"Awe, I'm touched."

"Plus it's your birthday, so CELEBRATION!" Harley screamed that last note. "And girl, do we have some plans for tonight. First it's dinner at Mario's Italian place, then it's the pub for some drinks and karaoke."

"But I was planning on spending time with my dad," Barbara started to protest.

"Oh we already worked it over with the Police Commissioner and he said it was cool as long as we didn't drive you home drunk, then he said he would lock us up for life."

"And I have a suspicious feeling he wasn't joking." Sarah added

"Knowing my dad, he wasn't."

Barbara had to admit her room mates knew how to celebrate one's birthday. They had reserved some seats for the three of them at Mario's and paid for Barbara's full meal. The only part that embarrassed her was when Harley had the waiter's come out and sing Happy Birthday to her while wearing a silly birthday hat, but she quickly got over it when they gave her a free desert on the house.

Then it was off to the pubs, which once again, Sarah and Harley paid for the drinks. As a promise to Jim they made sure not to get drunk considering they had to drive home, to Harley's disappointment. However a few songs on the karaoke station quickly cheered her up. Barbara couldn't help but burst out laughing to Harley's rendition of "It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls. They where having so much fun they hardly noticed that the sun was starting to set. They left the bar around seven and started making their way home.

"I had a really fun night, thanks for this." Barbara replied as they arrived home."

"We have one last surprise for you." Sarah said as she unlocked the front door.

"What?"

"SURPRISE!" Barbara jumped in shock as the door swung open and inside was her Father, her Boss Lucius Fox, and several of her friends from both Wayne Enterprise and the police force.

"Happy Birthday Babs!" Jim said wrapping Barbara in a hug.

"Oh Dad did you throw all of this for me?" Barbara cried

"Who do you think told them to keep you occupied tonight?" Jim laughed before turning to Harley and Sarah "Oh and thanks for not getting drunk like I asked."

"Hey I think getting threatened with jail is enough to make one listen." Sarah replied

"Oh I got a present for you." Jim replied taking out a box and handing it to Barbara.

Barbara opened the box and inside was tickets to Barbara's favorite boy band the NightCrawlers **(Totally made up band for the story by the way. Don't Google it)** "I know we haven't spent as much time with each other since you moved out, and I thought this would be a fun way to send some quality father daughter time again like we did in the old days.

"Oh Daddy this is wonderful." Barbara was nearly in tears looking at the tickets "But I thought you hated boy bands."

"I do, but knowing I was spending time with my little girl will make the music at least some what decent."

"Oh, us next, us next!" Harley squealed. Harley and Sarah each handed Barbara a small wrapped up package. Barbara opened Sarah's first and saw a photo album of fun times then three of them spent together the past year.

"Oh Sarah I love this." Barbara was in tears ow.

"Then your really going to love mine," Harley replied. Barbara unwrapped Harley's gift and saw that it was a small bedside picture frame of the three of them at the amusement park, they were standing in front of a roller coaster they were about to board and Harley had the people behind them take a funny picture of them. Harley put bunny ears behind Barbara while giving a funny face with her tongue hung out, and Barbara had Sarah in a playful headlock.

"This was my favorite picture of the three of us especially remembering that I barfed all over Sarah after the ride. Maybe chugging down six hot dogs before boarding the ride wasn't a good idea."

"I did try to warn you about that." Sarah replied remembering that horrifying event.

"Anyway I thought it deserved a special place on your bed."

"Oh you two are so sweet, how did I get so lucky to have such roommates like you."

"Well for starters you answered the roommate add in the paper," Harley joked

"Hey Babs you better hurry up and blow out your birthday candles," Jim laughed "Otherwise your going to have wax flavored icing on your cake."

"I'll be right over." The three of them ran over to the table with the cake and after blowing out her candles they all helped themselves to a slice of Chocolate cake, Barbara's favorite.

As they all laughed and ate their cake Harley felt her phone vibrating in her back pocket. Her eyes widened when she recognized the number and she quickly took the call to the next room.

"I gave you specific orders." Harley snarled at the voice on the other end "You want to explain to me why they have not been met?"

"Look Boss it's not out fault, the bat lady keeps getting in the way."

"I don't care! Take more lethal actions, do whatever it takes, we need those weapons, the Joker needs to be freed."

"Look boss, if we are going to continue to risk getting our ass thrown in jail because of that Bat lady then we are going to demand double the pay."

"Fine but this is your last chance, if you fail again so help me you will not want to face me!" Harley quickly slammed her phone off and let out a frustrated sigh. She has spent months trying to get the Joker out of prison, months paying Joker's former inmates to rob weapon dealers but every time Batgirl got in the way.

"Once Joker is out," Harley swore "I'm going to come after Batgirl myself. The Bat family must pay for what the Batman did to my "puddin'".

 **You all saw this coming, Harley is now officially under Joker's control. I know at the end of Batgirl Origins she was on the verge of being fully brainwashed but with this being a one year time jump I thought it made since that she would now be fully under his control.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I am the type of person that loves hearing feedback from the readers and will often listen to their ideas and constructive criticism and take it to heart if it means making a story better. Most of this chapter actually was inspired by some Constructive criticism brought to me from Menatron the Angel of Ideas.**

 **Menatron you stated you wasn't that into time jumps and asked for a flashback to show how Harley went from the innocent funny therapist from the first story to what she is now, you got it!**

 **One year ago.**

Harley couldn't believe she was doing this. Her mind wanted to tell her that the Joker was just trying to manipulate her, but she had to make sure. Joker claimed that Batman was the source of his madness. That he created him that night at Ace Chemicals, that he didn't even try to save him instead just letting him fall to his potential death. If what Joker said was indeed true then everything Harley believed of the bat people was a lie.

Dressing herself up as a reporter Harley went to Ace Chemicals to find out how the battle with the Batman really went down. Harley walked through the front door where a middle aged man greeted her at the front desk.

"How can I help you young lady?"

"I'm a reporter with the Gotham newspaper," Harley lied "I'm looking into a altercation between Batman and a guy who went buy the name the Red Hood."

"Ah yes, the man who later went on to become the Joker."

"I'm doing a piece on it and I want to make sure I get every detail straight do you have footage of the incident that night."

"We do save footage from our security camera's for security reasons. But That event happened nearly a decade ago, I'm not sure if we have footage heading that far back. I will go check though if you want?"

"Please, it is of very importance."

Harley was forced to wait in the front lobby as the man went to look through the old security footage. After a _agonizing_ ten minute wait the man walked back up with small disk in his hand.

"Your in luck, we do indeed still have a copy. Hope it proves useful."

"It will prove _very_ useful, thank you!" Harley said, shooting up from her seat, taking the disk and giving the man a big hug as she ran out. Time to get to the truth of the Batman.

Barbara and Sarah was staying up late in their pajamas watching some scary movie and over indulging on popcorn when Harley walked in.

"Hey Harley, we're having a marathon of the old slasher horror movies, wanna watch?" Sarah asked

"Maybe some other time." Harley replied nervous, she was hoping her two roommates would be asleep when she got home show she could wouldn't draw suspicion. "I... I have to do something, in my room, alone."

"What is it?"

"Don't worry about it... please?" Harley said her whole body shaking with fear as she ran into her room and locked the door behind her. Barbara and Sarah just returned a confused look to each other.

The only source of light coming from Harley's small desk lamp Harley quickly turned on her laptop and put in the small disc that held everything she wanted to know about the night the man previously known as the Red hood became the man everyone knows as the Joker today. She waited patiently as she watched the men break into the Ace Chemicals, and watched with intrigued interest as Batman came and took out each of the intruders one, by one. Harley sat completely horrified as she watched Batman take them out. She had heard stories of how Batman took out Gotham's criminals but this was the first time she had witnessed him in action,. He was breaking their limbs without remorse, leaving them dangling over pits of chemicals by just a cord that if ripped would send them falling into deadly chemicals. Witnessing what Batman did to these people terrified her. Yes these guys were criminals but they were still people, and what Batman was doing to them crossed the line in her opinion. How could anyone be okay with somebody doing this to people?

Her opinion of Batman already taking a hit, she came to the part she wanted to see, when Batman went up against the Red Hood. The Red Hood ran for his life when he reached the edge of a floor and stared right below a vat of chemicals. Turning around he saw Batman walking slowly toward him, his face void of any emotion.

"Please, don't hurt me!" The Red Hood cried, "Show mercy I surrender." It was right then as the Red Hood was pressing his back farther and farther against the railing that he lost his balance and fell over, landing directly into the vat of chemicals. Harley covered her mouth with the palm of her hands as she choked up tears. As she watched, she saw that Batman didn't attempt to stop his fall, just stood there frozen in place as the Red Hood fell then walked away afterword, not even attempting to come search for him.

Harley was horrified, she was stunned, but most of all she was angry. No wonder the Joker was the way he was. As a therapist she had talked to a lot of people who was driven to insanity thanks to a single traumatizing event and falling into a vat of chemicals that bleached their skin and left them in horrifying scars thanks to a reckless vigilante that thought he was above the law was enough to drive any man insane.

Finally Harley understood everything that the Joker told her, he was the _victim._ The Victim of a reckless vigilante that thought he was free to do anything he wants to people just because they commit a crime. No wonder the Joker was obsessed with wanting revenge of Batman. Finally understanding the Joker, and seeing that everything he said was true, she knew one thing, she had to help the Joker.

She had know idea of her loud sobbing until she heard Barbara knocking on her door. "Harley, is everything okay in there?"

"Leave me alone right now please?" Harley cried not wanting to talk or see anyone right now, especially after what she just realized, "I just want to be alone right now."

Barbara was surprised how Harley snapped out at her like that. She didn't know what Harley was going through but whatever it was she could tail it was painful for her. Despite wanting to help her friend she respected her wishes.

"Okay, but just to let you know, I am your friend. I don't know what you are going through nor will I press the issue, but if you ever want a shoulder to cry on, I'm here." Then Barbara walked away.

Feeling her legs give out Harley fell to the floor and cried herself to sleep. "You were right Joker, about everything."

The following day Harley stayed late at the asylum, using extra work as a excuse to stay late. Once everyone else had left the asylum Harley sneaked off to the Joker's cell where she saw him bouncing a small blue rubber ball against the ceiling. The sound of high heels tapping against the metal floor attracted his attention and he smiled when he saw Harley walking up to him.

"Well if it isn't my favorite doctor. Here to take my temperature? I'd be happy to drop my pants."

"You were right Joker," Harley cried as she opened his cell.

"About what?"

"The Batman!" Harley screamed "He's a monster, a menace, he destroyed you, turned you into this! I'm sorry Joker, I'm sorry I didn't believe you earlier."

"Awe dry those tears Doll Face." Joker put his hand up to Harley's face and dried her tears away. "There is a perfectly sound way to make this up to me. Join me, help me break out of here, and help me kill this new bat in town."

"I will. And then when the Batman shows his face again I will drive a stake through his heart myself!"

"I knew there was a reason I liked you." Joker laughed "Now here's what you can do for me, find my own gang, they are probably hiding out in the Steel Mill like the cowards they are, tell them that Joker sent you, then help them break me out of prison."

"And if the Batgirl gets in the way?"

"Your a smart girl Harley, improvise."

Harley gave a wicked smile as she nodded her head. "Anything you say, Mister J."

 **Current time.**

Using the same excuse as when she first joined Joker's team, Harley once again stayed late at the Asylum. Tired of Joker's so called gang miserably failing at trying to break the Joker out, it was now time for her to try it her own way. Earlier in the day she decided to have one of her daily sessions with one of Arkham's many inmates in the Asylum's cafeteria. While in their she sneaked a knife into her back pocket and quietly carried on with her interview unnoticed.

Now with everyone gone she sneaked off to the Joker's cell. The Joker to no surprise was waiting for her with a huge grin and maniacal laugh.

"What's up Doc?" Joker laughed.

"I finally got a way to get you out," Harley whispered, taking the knife out of her pocket and handing it to Joker.

"What? How did you get this past the guards?"

"It's from the cafeteria, I know it's not much but I'm tired of waiting for those pathetic idiots you call your men."

Joker studied the knife in his hands, a huge grin formed on his faced and he let out a loud spine chilling laugh. "Doll Face this couldn't be more perfect."

"Really?"

"Yes and I know just how to use this to. You've done good Doll face." Joker laughed and gleamed over the knife like it was the toy he had been eyeing for moths at Christmas. After a minute or to of squealing he put his knife away and laid out the escape plan. "Now, here's the plan..."

 **Hoped this help clear up any plot holes on Harley's transformation. If you liked this please leave a review as well as follow and fave and I will see you later.**


	4. Chapter 4

Everything was in place for the breakout. The following morning Joker hid the knife under his pillow and waited patiently for the morning guard to check on him for role call. Joker just laid on his bed pretending to be asleep once the guard started passing by.

"Rise and shine Joker." The guard knocked on Joker's cell to get him up. No answer, the guard knocked again louder. "Joker, get your ass up now!" Still no response. Frustrated the guard unlocked the cell and marched to Joker's bed and pulled off the sheets. "If you don't get up like I ordered you right this second I'm going to put you in..."

Within the blink of an eye Joker shot up from his bed and plunged his knife in the guards throat. Joker put his index finger over the guards mouth to prevent him from making a sound as the life quickly drained from the guard's body. "Shh... You'll wake the other prisoners."

The Joker laughed once the guard fell dead. Joker grabbed the keys and gun from guards pocket. He walked to the other cells and quickly started to unlock them.

"Good news everyone, your all getting early parole!" Joker laughed "Let's all give the Arkham staff one giant thank you party!" The prisoners all ran out from their cells. The guards stormed in and tried their best to contain them. But in the fuss Joker slipped by, laughing to himself as he made his way down the many Asylum hallways.

"Freeze Joker," The Joker suddenly heard a guard call out from behind him. Joker slowly turned around and calmly shot the guard in the head before calmly continued to walk down the hallway. "Uh, uh, no party poopers allowed at my party."

The news of the prisoner breakout quickly made it's way to the Arkham doctors. The Asylum was put on lock down and whatever guards was not busy handling the prison riots was busy gathering up the nurses and therapists.

Harley was calmly going over paper work in her office when a frantic knock was came from her door.

"Harley there's a prisoner riot going on," Sarah replied, opening the door frantically. We got to get to safety. The Joker is out!"

"What?" Harley gasped, Doing her best to put on a surprised act, hiding the fact that she was the one who helped organize it. "Okay, let's go." Harley took Sarah's hand and slowly made their way to the Arkham panic room, two guards standing behind them for safety.

Suddenly two gunshots were heard and the guards fell down dead. Sarah and Harley slowly turned around to see Joker standing behind them with his gun pointed in their direction, a sadistic smiled curled on his face.

"Dr. Strong, Dr. Quinzel," Joker replied calmly. He bent down towards the dead guards and took their guns. "I hate to barge in so rudely like this, it's not really gentleman like but I just have to take one of you dears hostage." Joker grabbed Harley by the arm and pulled her up to him. Wrapping his arm around her as he put his gun to her temple. Harley put on her best terrified act, knowing the Joker would not hurt her. "It's nothing personal my dear but I need leverage if I'm going to get out of here."

"Sarah, contact Batgirl, hurry." Harley cried through fake tears.

"Joker if you harm her in anyway I swear I'm gonna!"

"Uh, uh, uh... you better watch what you say next toots. I'd hate to harm a hair on that pretty little face of yours."

"It'll be okay," Harley cried "Just get Batgirl, hurry!"

"Well it's been a fun party and I would like to stay longer but I've got to be going! I'm driving!" Joker walked off the same way he came, leaving his gun pointed at Harley the entire time.

Once the Joker was out of sight Sarah frantically took out her phone and called the police.

"Commissioner, this is Dr. Sarah Strong, your daughter's room mate," Sarah cried "The Joker's broke loose, he took Harley!"

The Joker's escape quickly spread across Gotham. Every Police Officer in the city was sent to search Joker and Dr. Quinzell. Joker had Harley drive her out of Arkham in her own car, still keeping his gun pointed at Harley.

"You can put that gun down now Joker," Harley replied as she drove. "We are out."

"We are not out of the woods yet my good doctor. The cops will no doubt be on their way, and we all know the Batgirl will be here soon too. Got to make this look real."

The sound of police sirens soon got their attention, Joker turned around and saw ten police cars heading their way with their sirens flashing.

"Well speak of the devil. Step on it good doctor, I'll take care of these boys." Harley sped up the car going twice the legal limit. Joker took his gun and started firing at the police's direction. One bullet went through a window and hit a officer in the shoulder. Another hit one of the car tires, causing it to spin out of control and crash into a bridge.

"Hold your fire!" Commissioner Gordon replied through the police radio. "We don't want to risk harming the hostage."

"Sir, Joker is not going to let up. We got to do something."

"Try to run him off the road but do not open fire. That is my daughter's room mate he has and I am not going to risk her getting hurt in any way! That is an order!"

Joker pointed his gun at Jim's car, he lined his gun up with Jim's head, he pressed the trigger aiming to finish him when all he heard was a soft click of the trigger.

"Well how do you like that," Joker chuckled. "No more bullets." Joker tossed the gun out the car window and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "Get ready to jump doll face."

"Jump?" Harley yelped in surprise when Joker put one cuff around her wrist and cuffed the other end to his own wrist.

"He's out of ammo, let's run this bastard off the road," Jim laughed. Jim's eyes suddenly widened with surprise as Joker and Harley both jumped out of the speeding vehicle. Jim slammed on the breaks to avoid hitting them and got out the car gun drawn as Joker and Harley ran to the edge of the bridge. Joker wrapped his arm around Harley again and saluted the officers knowing for a fact that they wasn't going to fire and risk shooting his hostage.

"Bon Voyage coppers." Joker then jumped, him and Harley both landed in the river below. Several officers ran to the bridge and noticed that they were nowhere to be seen.

"Contact Batgirl!" Jim demanded "I want the Joker found and Dr. Quinzel brought back safely, now!"

"Have there been any sighting of them since?" Once the news of Joker's escape spread, Gotham went into high security mode. Barbara was working in her office when the TV broke with the news of his escape. She instantly shot up from her chair and ran for the exits when she found out that the hostage he took was Harley. Thankfully Lucius allowed Barbara to go with Harley being her room mate. The minute she left Wayne Enterprise she changed into her Bat suit and drove to GCPD to find out info.

"None since they went into the river," Jim answered Batgirl. "We have every cop looking for Joker but nothing has came up. This is my daughter's roommate Batgirl. I know she's not family but my daughter is good friends with her and sees her as family so you need to bring her back alive. For my daughter's sake."

"I will," Batgirl promised. "You keep trying to see what you can dig up from your end."

"I suppose you already have your own leads your going to check out?" Batgirl didn't answer, she just jumped off the rooftop of and glided to a nearby building and made a call to Alfred.

"Miss Gordon, I heard the news about Miss Quinzel. It's a terrible situation indeed and I only hope that she is alright."

"Alfred, I need the names and locations of every one of Joker's men, if any of them know where Harley is I'm going to find out."

"Sure thing Miss Gordon but it may take a few minutes, Joker has men scattered across all of Gotham."

"Just give me the one closest to GCPD and I will do the rest."

"I see, one of Joker's men currently lives in a small apartment about twenty miles south of your location. Goes by the name Joseph Kermit. Police knows him better though by his street name Lefty. May be a good place to start your search. Sending you his location now." Once Joseph's address came in to Batgirls wrist gauntlet she shot her grappling hook and swung her way toward his location.

"Hold on Harley, please hold on."

Joseph wasn't the only person in his apartment when Batgirl arrived. Staring through a pair of binoculars Batgirl could make out about six other men. They were all wearing their clown getup revealing to Batgirl that they were in a meeting. Perfect, if Lefty didn't talk she had six other's that would.

"So what's the word from the boss now?" One of the thugs asked.

"Joker said just wait for the Batgirl to show up,"

"Why weren't we invited to the party? I would love to have taken a shot at the new bat in town. I still am pissed over my last fight with Batman. He broke my arm in three places."

"Well Joker wanted some of us to stay behind and lure her out. The Joker wants Batgirl to find him, he figures Batgirl isn't going to find him unless she beats somebody up first."

"Well I hope it's one of the poor fools from some other part of Gotham."

"You and me both."

The window suddenly crashed in and one of the thug's face met with the soal of Batgirl's boot. He fell to the floor, his head spinning in a daze as Batgirl took out a batarange and tossed it at another thug, hitting him in the shoulder before grabbing him by the back of the head and smashing his face in the wall.

"Stop her!" A thug cried pulling out a knife and swinging it in Batgirl's direction. Batgirl grabbed the thug by the wrist and pulled the blade out of his hand. She leapt into the air and cut the chain to the chandelier hanging above his head. The thug didn't have time to move before the chandelier came crashing down on top of him.

Batgirl punched another thug in the gut, grabbed him by the collar, flipped him over her shoulder slamming his back to the hard wooden floor and delivered a single punch to his face. Batgirl followed that up with a elbow to another thug's gut. She kicked him backwards, causing him to trip and topple over a glass table. She then leapt in the air and delivered her boot to his chest, the force of her boot shattering the table.

Lefty had left to grab a baseball bat from his closet. When he arrived back to the living room he swung the bat at Batgirl's head, she quickly dodged the bat and delivered a punch to Lefty's gut. She grabbed the bat and hit Lefty over the head with it, swung around and delivered the final thug a uppercut to the chin with the bat as well.

As the last thug fell Batgirl walked up slowly to Lefty, who was laying on the floor moaning in pain. She put her right boot to his chest and pinned him down.

"Where has Joker taken Quinzel?" Batgirl growled.

"Screw you Batgirl!" Lefty replied. Wrong answer, Batgirl grabbed Lefty by the leg and drug him to the window. She lifted Lefty over her shoulder and help him out the four story apartment window by his feet. "Oh God! Don't let me fall, please!"

"Then talk!"

"He's taken her to the new Gotham mall Cinema. Joker said he has a surprise waiting for you. He sounded pretty eager to meet this new Batgirl." Batgirl pulled Lefty back in and tossed him to the floor.

"Tell your boss, I'm looking forward to our meeting." Batgirl jumped out the window and glided off. Next stop Gotham mall "I'm coming for you Harley, hold on."

 **I was going to make this chapter longer and have the fight between Joker and Batgirl in this chapter but I sort of ran out of time. On the plus side this gives the the chance to make the first meeting between the two longer and fill up a whole chapter so it still works out.**


	5. Chapter 5

**This was probably the most fun chapter I've written for this story yet. Get some popcorn if you have some.**

"You really think she will show?"

"Of course she'll show, Joker has that doctor bitch tied up in there."

Just as she was told Batgirl tracked Joker's hideout to the Gotham cinema. Joker didn't make it hard for Batgirl to find him, in fact judging by the fact he had written on the list of movie showings "Batgirl and Joker the epic meeting" Batgirl could tell he wanted her to find him.

Staring through a pair of binoculars Batgirl crouched on a rooftop and counted the thugs waiting for her outside. There was five, all spread out across the outside of the cinema armed with sniper rifles.

"That's funny I thought you would actually give me a challenge Joker," Batgirl smiled. She turned her attention to the thug that called Harley a bitch and nearly burned a hole through her binoculars in fury, "Your going to get it extra good for how you talked about my friend."

Batgirl glided silently to the first goon who was perched on the rooftop. Landing behind him she grabbed him around the throat and held him down until he lost consciousness. She then jumped from the building and landed behind the goon that insulted Harley. Batgirl picked up a rock and chunked it at him, hitting him in the back of the head. The goon landed face first on the dirt, the sound something hitting dirt attracted the other three's attention. Batgirl grappled up to the rooftop as the other three goons ran up to the man she just hurt. Batgirl then took out two smoke pellets, and when all three of them were together in a group she dropped them blinding their vision. The goons screamed as Batgirl dropped down. Unable to see, they had no way to counter when Batgirl landed in front of one goon, grabbed his gun and smashed it over his head. Batgirl then wrapped her arm around the second goon's neck and slammed him onto the dirt. With one goon left Batgirl swung her right leg, landing it behind the last goon's ankle tripping him to the dirt. Before he could get up Batgirl yanked him up by his hair and slammed his forehead against the brick wall, knocking him out. Brushing the dirt off her hands Batgirl made her way to the front entrance, she opened the door and once inside she saw nothing but darkness, not a single light was on the room was way to quite for her liking. Taking out a batarange Batgirl slowly made her way farther and farther into the Cinema when...

"SURPRISE!" The lights all flicked on at once, green and purple party streamers popped out from the floor and party horns could be heard blaring from across the entire room.

"Welcome Batgirl," The Joker's voice could be heard from the loud speakers "Your the guest of honor in tonight's party. A party to celebrate your first encounter with Gotham's most notorious Clown Prince of Crime. Now meet your glorious host," A floor opened up from a stage on the far right end of the room, Joker was the one that popped out from the floor, dressed in a purple suit and tie with black Pinstripes, with matching purple shows. "Me!" Joker wore a giant grin on his face that Batgirl really _really_ wanted to knock off his face. But not before she got who she came for.

"Where's Doctor Quinzel?" Batgirl demanded

"Now now Batgirl honey lets not get ahead of ourselves here. We haven't even gotten to any of the party games."

"If any of the games involve me kicking your ass than I'm game."

"You know something Batgirl, I like you. You actually got a mouth on you, unlike that other boring no fun bat. It's going to make tonight that much more fun. Oh boys!"

Two doors opened and about a dozen henchmen dressed in clown suits and wearing party hats ran out. "I think it's time to give our new Batgirl friend a proper inauguration. Play nice!"

As the two dozen thugs charged, Batgirl quickly counted the weapons they had in their hand. Four of them were armed with a bat, while four other were armed with a thin metal rod. Batgirl stared at the things around her that she could use to her advantage, wooden tables and chairs, a popcorn maker, arcade games. When the first thug came swinging his bat toward her she was ready, she grabbed him by the wrist, snatched the bat out of his hand and struck him with it.

"Oooh, a bat for a Batgirl, you really do have a sense of humor." Joker laughed.

The bat still in hand Batgirl hit another thug in the shin causing him to fall forward. Batgirl grabbed him by the collar and threw him into the concession stand where he crashed through the popcorn machine. Joker walked over to the popcorn maker, made himself a bag a popcorn and munched on it as he watched the fight.

"Want some Shorty?" Joker asked the thug stuck in the popcorn maker, the thug obviously didn't respond because he was unconscious.

Another thug tried to come at Batgirl from behind, but she sensed him coming and grabbed him by the wrist and flipped him over her body before snapping his wrist, the sound of the bone cracking echoing across the entire room.

"Ooh that sounded like it really hurt." Joker laughed munching on some more popcorn"Did it?"

Batgirl punched another thug in the chest two times before she slammed his body against the wooden table so hard that the table split in two. Batgirl followed up that move by jumping onto a chandelier, cutting it's chain and smashing it down onto to more thugs.

"Ah it's not a party unless things get destroyed." Joker said with a happy sigh.

Batgirl grabbed two more thugs by their collar and slammed their heads together. One thug grabbed her from behind, wrapping his arms around her to hold her down while another thug came to her with a metal rod. Batgirl lifted her feet up and kicked the guy with the rod backwards, making him fall backwards over a table, she then twisted her body free enough to flip the guy holding her down over her shoulders. The thug landed on his back, before he could get up Batgirl smashed a hard fist into his face. Batgirl quickly finished beating up the last two thugs, punching them in the gut and face several times before smashing their face into a couple arcade games.

Once all the thugs were taking care of Batgirl marched up to the concession stand where Joker stood. She grabbed him by the collar, lifting him two inches above the ground, knocking the bag of popcorn out of his hands as she glared into his green eyes and growled. "Where is Quinzel?"

"Well isn't that just rude? I go through all this trouble breaking out of Arkham and throwing a smashing party for you. I even let you beat up the other guests and this is how you treat your host?"

Batgirl lifted him higher in the air and slammed him against the wall, she raised a fist ready to punch him if he continued not to cooperate.

"Last chance Joker, where is Dr. Quinzel?"

"Okay okay you win." Joker laughed lifting his hands up in the air. "She's in the first theater to your right, she's actually the next party game."

"Party game?" Batgirl dropped Joker and ran to the theater, she stopped at the door in horror as she saw Harley tied in a small rectangular cage, her wrist's locked and her feet zip tied. That wasn't what horrified Batgirl though, down below was a tub fool of over a dozen rattlesnakes.

"It's time to play save the doctor in distress." Joker's face appeared on the giant theater screen. "Here's the rules of the game, up above you see the poor doctor struggling to break free. Your job is to free her before the cage lowers into the waiting pit of rattlesnakes. Here's the punchline though, you must pick the locks. The Batman always found ways to escape my deathtraps without a key, let's see how you do!"

Joker let out a sadistic laugh as the theater screen went black. The cage containing Harley started to slowly lower. Batgirl wasted no time grappling up to the cage, she opened the door and, while holding on to the bars with one hand to prevent from falling fiddled out a bobby pin and started working on picking the lock. "Hold on Harley I'm getting you out."

"Hurry!" Harley screamed as she stared at the pit of rattlesnakes below her, getting closer, and closer. Joker had promised her when she agreed to be apart of a deathtrap stunt that it would be real enough to make Batgirl believe Harley was just a victim but easy enough that there was little chance of Harley dying. That being said she didn't think it would involve something _this_ dangerous. She really hoped Joker knew what he was talking about.

Withing five seconds Batgirl had the first lock picked, she then swung over to the next lock and quickly unlocked it. Wrapping her arm around Harley's waist, she used her free hand to grab a small blade from her utility belt and worked on the zip ties. Withing a few seconds she got them both undone, and pulling Harley close she grappled them both safely from the rattlesnakes just before the cage landed in it's pin.

"Did Joker hurt you in any way?" Batgirl asked as she sat Harley down.

"No, but if you waited a couple seconds longer he would have."

"Wait outside, the Commissioner should be here shortly. I'm going after Joker!"

Harley nodded as Batgirl ran off. As Harley walked outside though she turned her head and gave a wicked smile and chuckled to herself "Good luck."

Joker walked off the stage giving a slow clap as Batgirl came running into the cinema lobby again. "Bravo, Bravo, more more."

"Playtime's over Joker!"

"Ah Bats don't be a party pooper already, we haven't even got to the pinata." Joker pulled out a Batman Pinata, it had x's over it's eyes and it's tongue was hanging out with a red dot between it's eyes making it look dead. Joker took out a bat and tossed the pinata in the air before whacking it. Candy came spilling out of the pinata, but it wasn't just any ordinary candy, these candies was actually explosives, after just a couple seconds the candies exploded causing Batgirl to have to shield herself behind a turned over table. Joker ran into the next theater laughing manically as Batgirl chased over him. Joker pulled out some marbles before throwing them at Batgirl's directions. Just like the candy, the marbles also exploded. Batgirl had to shield herself with her cape to avoid getting burned, at the same time it left her blind to Joker's next attack.

"Want to see a card trick?" Joker laughed as he took out a deck of metal playing cards with razor sharp edges. Batgirl could barely defend herself as Joker through the whole deck of cards at her, slicing her arms legs and cape.

Joker then lunged at Batgirl tackling her onto the floor as he pulled out a knife.

"Now it's time for my favorite game, pin the knife in the bat."

"I know just where you can pin that knife Joker!" Batgirl growled right before she delivered a kick right to Joker's groin. Joker toppled over in pain as Batgirl got up and kicked him in the face. Before Joker could compose himself again, Batgirl pulled him up by the hair, slammed him against one of the theater chairs and delivered blow after blow, after blow to Joker's face.

"Why... did... you... abduct... Doctor... Quinzel?!" Batgirl screamed in between punches, "What... use... is... she... to... you!?"

Batgirl paused as she allowed Joker to catch his breath and answer. Despite a black eye, a bloody nose and lip and a couple bruises to his face the Joker just let out a small laugh. "You think I abducted her? Oh poor naïve Bat she willingly let herself get captured."

"What are you saying?!" Batgirl growled, gripping onto Joker's collar tighter and getting closer and closer to his face.

"She is the whole reason I'm free. The escape plan, all of this it was her idea, she put on the whole damsel in distress act to get you here, and you ate it up like it was free ice cream day.

"Your lying!" Batgirl roared slamming the back of his head against the wooded arm rest. The hit was hard enough to give Joker a concussion, but despite his head spinning hard Joker still let out the loudest laugh he had given all day.

"Oh Batgirl I am a lot of things but a liar I am not. If I had abducted that doctor I would of killed her when we jumped off that bridge or gift wrapped her head in a box to give to you as a party gift. Which would have been funny as hell as I think about it, but absolutely no way to treat the girl that just set you free. Oh no Batgirl she was in it from the beginning."

Batgirl let out a angry scream in denial, she lifted Joker over her head and slammed him head first into the wooden floor. She then delivered blow after blow, after blow, each one harder then the next. She stopped just short of beating him to death, leaving him unconscious, his face covered in blood and his swelling from the blows he took.

Her gloved fists coated in Joker's blood Batgirl drug the Joker out of the theater by his ankles toward the parking lot where her father and four other police cars waited. Her father was taking a statement from Harley when Batgirl opened the cinema door and drug Joker outside. Barbara didn't like how the look Harley gave when she saw Joker was one of worry.

"Is he... dead?"

"No!" Batgirl snapped "Just made him wish he was."

"Ah you wouldn't have me chasing after you if he was." One cop responded, "I'd probably buy you a drink honestly."

"Make sure Joker is in the most high secured cell when he wakes up." Batgirl demanded before turning to Harley who was still staring at Joker with a look of worry on her face. "You okay?"

"I'm... fine." Harley lied "Just still in shock."

"You want me to have someone take you home?"

"No, I want to see Joker Arkham I'm sure Doctor Strong is still their worrying sick over me."

Commissioner Gorden took Harley by the shoulder and led him to the passenger side of his cop car, having his partner ride next to Joker with a gun drawn to him in case he woke up before they got to Arkham.

As the police cars drove off Batgirl slapped herself across the face and delivered a fist to the theater wall as she fought hard to refuse to believe that Harley was helping the Joker.

"She can't be," Batgirl mumbled to herself. "It's not true it's impossible. IT'S NOT TRUE!"


	6. Chapter 6

Harley didn't say a single word as she rode next to Jim in the police car. The entire trip she stared at the rear view mirror at Joker as he laid unconscious in the back of the police car. She stared in empathy as she questioned how someone could possibly be okay with beating someone half to death. Whatever Joker may have done he was still human, he still had a soul and Batgirl treated him like he was a monster, beating him half to death like he didn't have a soul.

Also it was Batman's fault Joker was what he was today, if he held back maybe Joker could have gotten the help he needed and reformed. But no, he didn't hold back, and now Joker has been damaged beyond repair. As Harley watched him her heart broke for him, for as everyone else saw a monster, she saw a soul driven to madness by a false idol. A idol who needed to fall before they drove anyone else to Joker's level.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize that they had reached Arkham until Jim stopped the car. The officer in the back shook Joker awake, and very rudely told him to get up.

"Move it Joker, your back where you belong!"

"Oooh are we back in the circus?"

"You wish!"

Harley watched horrified as the officer kicked Joker out of the police car. Due to the severity of his injuries Joker could barely stand up and had to be dragged back to front doors.

"Oh Harley thank God I was so worried!" Sarah cried running up to wrap Harley in a tight hug. "What did that monster do to you did he hurt you any?"

"No," Harley said in a very tired tone.

"He had her dangling in a cage over a pit of rattlesnakes from what she told me back in the theater," Jim chimed in.

"He did what!?" Sarah gasped "Oh my God you must be traumatized."

"I'm fine," Harley denied "Batgirl got me out before I reached the snakes."

"Thank God," Sarah breathed. Sarah then turned her attention to the Joker who sat on his knees in front of the Arkham entrance.

"As for you Joker!" Sarah yanked Joker to his feet by the collar and tossed him to a couple of guards. "Three weeks in salutary confinement. You will have no contact with anybody except the guard that checks on you three times a day and gives you your meals. For your actions you will be placed in a special uncomfortable cell with no windows or views to the outside world during your entire time in confinement. And guards!" The guards turned to Sarah as they led Joker away. "Put that maniac in a straight jacket." The guards nodded "And a muzzle too so I don't have to hear his demonic laughter throughout the entire asylum."

Harley watched horrified as the guards put Joker in a straight jacket and fitted a muzzle around his jaw. Harley followed Sarah, Jim and the guards as they drug Joker down to the deepest part of Arkham, a cell that was nine feet below ground away from any other prisoners or nurses. It was a eight by eight brick cell with now windows with only one small light bulb and one small bed to sleep on. The floor was hard and metal, and you could hear the entire cell echo as Joker was literally thrown into the room.

"Welcome to your home for the next three weeks Joker!" The guard taunted as Joker hit the floor. "Maybe you will actually grow some sense into that small brain of yours while in here, but I doubt it!"

Harley felt her heart shatter into a hundred pieces as Joker laid on the cold floor. As the guard slammed the cell door shut Joker turned to Harley one last time with the most sad and hurt eyes she had ever seen. A small tear fell from Joker's face before he turned and stared at the wall behind him.

Sarah noticed Harley staring in silent at Joker's cell, a worried look drawn on her face. Sarah could sense something wasn't right, but she instantly scratched it off as trauma due to her kidnapping.

"Are you going to be okay Harley? I can offer you some therapy if you need it."

"Thanks Sarah, but I'll be okay." Harley stared back at Joker one last time, who laid on the floor with his back turned to them. Harley closed her eyes and tears fell from her cheeks as she sighed "I just want to go home and forget about today."

"I'll take you home dear." Jim offered "I know where you live." As Jim took Harley by the shoulder and led her out, Harley turned and stared at Joker one last time.

"I'll get you out of here." She said to herself, low enough so no one could here her, "I promise."

Barbara pushed everything Joker told her about Harley to the back of her mind as she prepared a mug of hot chocolate and prepared for Harley's return. Hot chocolate was one of Harley's favorite late night drinks and despite it being September and eighty degrees Harley would still chug those things down like it was December and ten degrees.

When it came to information Joker was not the most believable source. Barbara and her father would sooner believe a monkey then Joker when it came to info. So, why did this bug her so much? Maybe it was because Joker said that he had no reason to lie. He already was going to back to Arkham for what he did, what was the point of lying and saying that Harley was involved as well? Was it to try to get a shorter term, drag someone down with him? Or was it because Harley really was involved? Whatever the reason Barbara refused to believe it until she had proof. And until she had that proof she would act like everything was normal.

Putting two giant marshmallows in the hot chocolate, she walked into the living room just as the door opened.

"Welcome home Harley," Barbara greeted handing her the mug of hot chocolate. "Figured you could use something to get your mind off of what happened today."

"Your sweet," Harley sighed taking the hot chocolate and sitting on the couch. "But I'm afraid nothing will ever make me forget what happened today."

"I know, but maybe this could help ease the pain a little."

Harley didn't respond as she took the hot chocolate to her room and locked the door behind her. Barbara definitely felt something wrong. But she couldn't tell if was because of trauma or something much worse.

The next day everything went back to normal, everyone went back to work like yesterday didn't happen.

Every one except Harley, she had trouble getting through her sessions. With most of the patients in there being put there due to Batman or Batgirl most of them blamed their problems on the two vigilantes. Usually Harley would try to tell them that it was themselves that was the reason they were locked up, instead she just nodded in agreement.

"I understand how you feel Ivy."

"How could you?" Ivy responded "You never have known what it's like to have someone paint you as a monster. I'm not the enemy, people are. They are destroying this planet little by little each day. The more they reproduce the more they tear away at this planet to make room for them. I'll tell you Harley this city would be better off as a giant wetland. With trees standing were these towers are. But as long as Batman is in the way or now Batgirl I will never be able to bring this planet how it's supposed to be."

Harley just nodded and wrote down her notes. Ivy was taken back at Harley's lack of interaction, usually she would try hard to change Ivy's opinion and make her see what she thought was the light. But today nothing. "Is there something wrong doctor?"

"I... I'm sorry Pamela I can't do this today." Harley picked up her notes and left her office only stopping by the guard who brought Ivy to her. "Take her back to her cell, I'm done with her today." Harley ran to her boss's office, tears streaming down her face the whole way.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this today." She cried "This was to soon to start back, I... I need to take a day of two."

"I understand Harley, go. I'll get somebody else to handle your sessions."

Harley instantly walked to her car and drove off the premise, but instead of heading home she stopped by the shopping center and picked up a few items. A red and and black mid drift and matching short, a bottle of red hair dye and black hair dye, and a tube of white paint.

Barbara was a little surprised to see Harley home when she arrived home from work that afternoon. Usually neither Harley or Sarah got home at least a hour or two after she got home.

"Your home early."

"I needed some time off." Harley replied, laying on the couch while she searched through Netflix for something to watch. "It was a mistake to go back to work immediately after what happened yesterday."

Barbara saw the bag of items Harley bought sitting on the table and started rummaging through them.

"What's all this stuff?"

"Oh just some things I picked up on my way home."

"Hair dye?"

"Hey if Sarah can color her hair so can I?

"But I thought you always criticized Sarah for her red highlights? Called them unprofessional?"

"That's because she has her red highlights mixed with her real hair color. If I'm going to dye my hair I'm going to make it all one color. Besides I've always wondered what's it's like to be a ginger. I want to know if it's true that they have no soul."

"Hey now!" Barbara laughed as she reached for a pillow on the couch and playfully hit her over the head with it before continuing to search through the items.

"What's with the white paint and weird outfit?"

"It's..." Harley paused "For Halloween. I'm going to going as a clown."

"It's September Harley, and I thought after yesterday you would stray far away from anything clown related."

"Hey I like to get my shopping for Holidays done early, you can get them much cheaper. You know how I love to save money. And I'm not going to let one bad clown ruin my love for them, I was voted class clown in High School you know?"

"Somehow I can believe that."

"What's going on everybody?" Sarah asked walking into the apartment.

"Wow your home early too?"

"Wanted to check on Harley, the boss said she left early in tears still traumatized over yesterday. How you feeling Harley?"

"Well her sense of humor is coming back." Barbara answered, thinking back to her ginger joke. "Also she's been shopping." Barbara showed Sarah the strange items Harley bought.

"Hair dye? But I thought you hated my highlights Harley."

"I just want to see if gingers really are soulless." Harley joked again. Barbara stuck her tongue out at Harley jokingly. Her face then got serious and pulled Sarah to a separate room to talk.

"Do you sense something off about Harley?"

"What do you mean?"

"She has never once dyed her hair in the year of a half I have known you two. You've known her longer has she ever dyed her hair before?"

"Never."

"Don't you think something is wrong with her?"

"Well one common thing I've learned as a therapist is that a traumatic experience can make someone act like somebody totally different. It's known as Post Traumatic Stress disorder. Harley was abducted by Joker, who the hell knows what he exposed her too? So for her to act different is not a unusual thing. Just give her some time, she will eventually be herself again."

Barbara stared at Harley who was still laying on the couch surfing through Netflix. "I hope your right." She didn't dare tell Sarah what was going through her head. She was still fighting hard to not believe it, but seeing those items that Harley bought was only increasing her fears.

That night Harley laid in her bed awake, not having gotten a ounce of sleep. Instead she wrote in her journal, about to commit something very bad.

 _My heart aches every moment I think about Mr. J sitting alone in that cell. Every moment I long to be with him, to free him, to help him, to be by his side. And I cannot take it any longer. Tonight I am going to do something very wrong, but if it means giving Mr. J the justice he deserves then it has to be. If there is a God I hope he forgives me for what I am about to do. But the Bat must pay for what he has done to my puddin' Gotham must pay for the hatred that they have shown him. Tonight Harleen Quinzell dies and in her place rises Harley Quinn._

Harley closed her journal changed into her red and black mid drift and shorts, then peaked into both Barbara and Sarah's room to make sure they were asleep. She grabbed a baseball bat that she kept with her from her High School softball days and sneaked out to her car.

She drove twenty minutes to a weapons shop, grabbed her bat and marched inside.

"Hello young lady, can I help you with something?" The shop owner asked with a friendly tone.

"Yes, you can die!" Harley whacked the metal bat over the shop owner's head. He fell to the ground instantly with a thud. He looked up at Harley horrified as she raised her bat up above her head and struck him again a second time. She continued to repeat the action, again, and again, and again, five times, ten times, fifteen times, laughing the entire time until his head was nothing more then a bloody stain on the ground.

"Ooh somebody come clean up this mess, it's a slipping hazard." Harley laughed as she walked over to the supply of weapons. She grabbed every gun, hand grenade and rocket launcher in the store and stuffed them all in her car, not leaving a single weapon in the shop.

"The prices are reasonable but the shop is a little to messy for my liking, going to cost you a star on my online review." Harley then drove off laughing over her first murder. She had never felt more adrenaline in her life then when she was smashing that guy's skull in, his blood splashing across her face and clothes. During her time of the kill, she had never felt more alive, and she was so looking forward to what she was going to do next.

Joker's crew was all hiding away in a abandoned warehouse when Harley kicked the door in.

"Grab yourself a weapon boys!" Harley replied "We're breaking Mr. J out first thing in the morning! Then after that, the Batgirl will die for what she has done to my puddin'."


	7. Chapter 7

**This is a chapter I've been dying to write for some time now. Harley has finally gone bad, she is about to break out the joker, and all hell is about to break loose. This chapter is going to be a heart breaker fair warning.**

Barbara took a vacation day the following day in order to look into Harley's strange behavior as of late. Part of her felt guilty snooping into her best friend, but despite her best attempts the feeling in her gut just wouldn't go away. So as soon as Harley and Sarah was both gone Barbara walked into Harley's room and decided to take a look around. The first thing she noticed was that the outfit she bought as well as the hair color and paint was nowhere to be found, despite her nearly flipping the whole bedroom apart.

The second thing Barbara discovered was something extremely out of the ordinary for Harley. Sitting on her desk in plain sight was her smart phone.

"That's strange," Barbara said to herself "Harley never leaves her phone at home, she is addicted to that thing like chocolate she feels naked without it." Barbara couldn't believe why Harley would leave her phone at home. Was it because she was about to disappear and didn't want anybody calling after her.

Her fears growing Barbara called Alfred.

"Alfred I'm about to send all recent contacts that Harley has made for you to search through." Barbara hacked into Harley's contacts and forwarded all her call records to the bat computer. "Look into any calls that even might look remotely suspicious."

"Yes Ms. Gorden but care to tell me why you are digging into your best friend's private records like this?"

"I hate to think this but Harley has been acting strange lately. Ever since the abduction by Joker Harley has seen off. And what Joker mentioned about Harley helping him has stuck with me."

"Ms. Gorden I am shocked and appalled you would ever take something the Joker said like that as seriously as you are. I'm no therapist but people act strange all the time after abductions, has to deal with the shock and Post dramatic stress. I fear you are becoming a bit too paranoid."

"I know Alfred but I have to know for sure, for my own personal closure."

"And what if your wrong, which I hope to god you are."

"Then I will go crawling up to Harley and beg for her forgiveness. But please do this, for me."

"As you wish," Alfred sighed, looking through Harley's phone records. "Hmm, there's a incoming call that came in during your birthday party. It's not on any of her contacts, let me see if I can trace it... Oh dear."

"What is it Alfred?"

"The number belongs to one Terry Johnson, known by his street name as Smiley, his police records shows he is a prominent member of the Joker's gang."

"Dammit," Barbara cried,

"Barbara, why would Ms, Quinzell be in contact with a member of Joker's gang?"

Barbara didn't answer, she started digging through more and more of Harley's things. She found a disc hidden in the bottom drawer, taking out her laptop from her bag she slipped the disc in, and gasped as she saw it was the video of the night of Joker's creation.

"Alfred, Harley has a copy of Batman's battle with the red hood."

"Ah yes, the night of Joker's creation." Barbara gasped as she saw Red Hood fall into the vat of chemicals.

"Batman was the reason Red Hood fell into the chemicals." Barbara pin pointed "He was trying to escape him."

"That night is still one that haunts Master Wayne."

"How does Harley have a copy of this?" Barbara asked herself "Why does she have a copy of this?" Barbara next pulled out Harley's journal and started reading through it. At first it was typical Harley stuff, lame jokes and pranks she pulled on her roommates. Barbara even chuckled when she read about the time Harley put a fake snake over Barbara's face while she was sleeping and how freaked out Barbara was when she woke up.

But then things got a little more disturbing, the humorous stuff was gone and instead the entries was more and more about the Joker and how she felt sorry for him. Barbara got more and more scared when she read how Harley started feeling bitter toward Batman and Batgirl, and how she blamed them for the inmates conditions, especially Joker's, and that the death of the vigilante's might truly be the only cure for their conditioning.

Finally Barbara got to the last page, and Barbara let out a tearful gasps as she read aloud the final page, her worst fears were now confirmed.

 _My heart aches every moment I think about Mr. J sitting alone in that cell. Every moment I long to be with him, to free him, to help him, to be by his side. And I cannot take it any longer. Tonight I am going to do something very wrong, but if it means giving Mr. J the justice he deserves then it has to be. If there is a god I hope he forgives me for what I am about to do. But the Bat must pay for what he has done to my puddin' Gotham must pay for the hatred that they have shown him. Tonight Harleen Quinzell dies and in her place rises Harley Quinn._

"That does not sound good."

"It's true," Barbara realized, not bothering holding back the tears forming in her eyes, "It's all true. Harley has fallen for the Joker. Alfred What am I going to do? How am I ever going to be able to face...?"

She was interrupted when a notification came through her phone about a gruesome murder at a weapons dealership. Last year Barbara had rigged her phone to send her notifications coming in through the police radio about crime scenes or current crimes in process happening during the day time. She didn't go to many of them, mostly because she worked during the day and most of the daytime crimes was stuff her father could handle, but on her off days Barbara would often check them up in her Batgirl persona.

"You think that involves Ms. Quinzell?"

"There's only one way to find out."

Ten minutes later Barbara arrived at the crime scene, dressed in her Batsuit. Her father was already there along with multiple police cars. The officers were busy pulling out the red tape when Batgirl walked up.

"What do we have?"

"A customer walked in this morning and found the owner like this," Jim pointed to what was remaining on the weapons shop owner. Batgirl couldn't help but cringe in disgust as she saw the amount of blood splattered on the floor and walls, and the fact that his head was now just splattered remnants of brain matter and muscle. "Needless to say he is being treated for shock at the moment, pretty shook up from the phone call."

Batgirl walked up to the body and started inspecting it, Barbara had been doing work like this as Batgirl for going on twenty months now, but this scene right here was no doubt the most bloodiest crime scene she ever witnessed during that span.

"What are you thinking Batgirl?"

"There is no powder or residue, so this couldn't be done by any of his own weapons, plus judging by the fact that all of the muscle and brain matter are all in one spot on the floor whoever did this to him had to have used a bat or pipe of some sort. My guess is our victim was bludgeoned to death," Barbara looked up and noticed that all his weapon counters had been stripped bare "And then they cleaned house of every weapon he owned."

Batgirl looked to the ceiling and saw a security camera hanging on the wall. Getting up Batgirl grabbed a chair, walked it over to where the camera stood and pulled it down.

"Commissioner do you have a laptop in your cruiser that I can borrow?" Jim nodded and ran to his cruiser, bringing back his laptop a few seconds later.

Batgirl took out the chip from the camera and plugged it into the laptop, within a couple minutes they were able to see exactly what happened and who the murderer was. Batgirl's heart instantly sank and she instantly regretted watching the video, and not because of how gory it was.

"Is that who I think it is?" Jim gasped

"Dr. Quinzell."

Suddenly a emergency call came in through Jim's radio. "Sir there is a break in at Arkham Asylum! It's Joker's men, they are trying to break him out!"

"No!" Batgirl gasped to herself "Harley don't,"

"Ten four officer."

"Commissioner, I'll take this." Batgirl replied "You finish this crime scene here and meet me down there when your done."

"Will do, give em hell Batgirl."

Batgirl got on her motorcycle and drove off, hoping that her father did not see the tears starting to fall from her eyes. "Harley please, don't do this."

"Alright boys listen up!" Harley ordered as they shot their way into the asylum. Harley was decked out totally in her Harley Quinn get up. On top of her red and black shirt and tight shorts her face was completely painted white and half of her hair was died red while the other half was black. "Feel free to kill as many guards as you like, but nobody and I repeat _NOBODY_ is allowed to lay a hand on Dr. Strong. YOU UNDERSTAND!?"

"Why is she so important?" A Joker thug asked through his clown mask

"She's my room mate and best friend," Harley replied "So if I see any of you even pointing a gun at her I will impale your pointed heads through a pike. GOT IT!?"

"Yes, loud and clear," The other goons replied shivering in fear.

"Good, now move out!"

Joker's gang stormed the asylum, opening fire on the guards and holding several of the nurses hostage. Harley grabbed a set of keys from one of the dead guards pockets and released several of the prisoners.

"Cause a riot," Harley ordered "And if you make it out your free to go."

The prisoners nodded and joined into the commotion, attacking the guards. The guards did everything in their power to fight back the prisoners. With all the commotion Harley was able to slip away and head toward Joker's cell.

She didn't slip away unnoticed however, while hiding behind her office desk Sarah noticed someone slipping away through her office window. Figuring that this person was after the Joker, Sarah slipped out from her desk, grabbed a gun from a deceased officer and ran after the person heading towards Joker's direction.

"Don't move!"

Harley recognized the voice behind her, she turned around and saw Sarah pointing a gun in her direction. Despite all her makeup and wild colored hair Sarah recognized Harley and she gasped and dropped her gun in surprise.

"Harley?"

A joker thug came from behind and knocked Sarah over the head with a bat, causing her to fall to the floor, her head spinning. Harley glared angrily at the guy who struck Sarah earning a confused look by the thug.

"What, I didn't kill her, and she was pointing a gun toward you." Harley didn't respond instead she just took out her gun and shot the thug two times in the chest killing him.

"I said nobody lay a hand on Dr Strong" Harley left Sarah laying on the ground grasping her injured head, turning her focus back onto reaching Joker.

Outside, Batgirl reached the asylum gates. She wasted no time busting through the doors, she had to find Harley before she made a decision she would seriously regret. Inside she saw that Harley had already caused a riot, it would be nearly impossible to get through these rioters before Joker was freed.

"We got these rioters, you get the crazy lady!" One of the guards replied as he got control of one of the many rioters.

Batgirl hated to leave these guards to defend for themselves, but her priorities were elsewhere, busting through the crowd she made her way down the hall, where she was stopped by a injured Sarah, who was still rubbing the back of her head.

"Dr. Strong are you alright?" Batgirl gasped helping Sarah to her feet.

"It's Harley!" Sarah cried "Somethings happened to her, she's gone..." Sarah couldn't even bring herself to finish without choking up. The shock of the situation at hand sinking in.

"I know, Joker's gotten to her."

"What are we going to do?"

"We'll figure that out later but first we got to stop her, if she unleashes Joker all hell is going to break loose."

"I'll lead you there, I know where he is being held, follow me, hurry!"

Joker was laying on the cold floor, staring at the wall, still in his straight jacket and muzzle when Harley walked up.

"Hey, Puddin'"

Joker's eyes lit up at the familiar sound, he turned around and saw Harley unlocking his cell. "Come on, we're getting you out of here."

As soon as Harley took off the muzzle Joker let out a bellowing laugh, "Doctor, I knew there was something special in you."

"Uh, uh, uh, the doctor is out Puddin'" Harley laughed "Say hello to your new and improved _Harley Quinn!"_

The two of them laughed in sync as Harley handed Joker a gun, she then got on her radio and called the gang.

"We got the boss, head to the chopper at once, we're getting out of here!"

"So, how did you manage to pull this all off anyway?"

"It's amazing the discounts you can get on weapons once you beat his brains in."

Joker wailed with laughter "Harley dear you are going to go far in this business."

Batgirl and Sarah arrived a minute later, only to see that Harley was gone, along with the Joker.

"Oh no, he's escaped!" Sarah screamed. The both of them suddenly heard the sound on a helicopter starting.

"Is that a...?" Batgirl started to say, she was cut off by Sarah grabbing her hand and guiding her to upstairs.

"Come on this way will lead us to the roof." Sarah led Batgirl up several flights of stairs, through a door that lead to the roof of the Asylum. Batgirl ran through the door and saw Joker and Harley standing at he open door of the helicopter, laughing over what they just pulled as the helicopter started to take off.

"Bon Voyage Bat Freak!" Joker laughed "I would like to stay and chat but I've got to fly."

"See you later Bat Brain!" Harley laughed pulling out a bazooka. Before Batgirl could move Harley fired the Bazooka, hitting a gargoyle above her head.

"Batgirl look out!" Sarah screamed running towards Batgirl and pushing her out of the way of the falling debris. Unfortunately the debris landed on top of her, burying her under it's weight.

"Sarah no!" Batgirl screamed, seeing her friend get buried under the debris.

"No!" Harley cried, falling to her knees as she realized what just happened. Sarah pushed Batgirl out of the way, saving her, but as a result got buried in her place. Harley fell to her knees as she started weeping, Sarah, wasn't supposed to get hurt, yet she did, and it was by her own hands.

"Ah cheer up Harley." Joker chuckled putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll get Batgirl next time, not a bad first attempt though if I must admit."

Harley buried her head in her hands in sobbed loudly "Sarah, oh god I'm sorry, Sarah!"

"No!" Batgirl ran and started frantically pulling the chunks of stone off her friend "Sarah hold, on please!" Once she reached Sarah she gasped at what she witnessed. Sarah was fatally wounded, a sharp piece of stone was stuck in her abdomen and she was bleeding out fast. She was already pale and weak, and Batgirl could tell she wasn't going to make it much longer.

"Sarah, oh no, no, no no NO! SARAH!" Batgirl took Sarah in her arms, and, despite the rule of keeping her identity secret, Barbara took off her mask, revealing her identity to her dying friend.

Sarah's reaction was not one of shock or surprise. As she stared at Barbara, in her bat suit minus the mask, she just let out a tired smile "I knew it."

"What?" Barbara replied through tears.

"I knew it was you, it always made the most sense. Your father got arrested, you go frantically pulling stupid stunts to try to prove his innocents then suddenly the Batgirl shows up and finishes the work. I put two and two together and figured it was you doing all that stuff."

"If you knew that then why didn't you confront me or try to stop me?"

"I wanted to respect your decision by keeping it to myself. Plus I knew I couldn't stop you even if I tried."

"Your going to be fine Sarah I promise, I'm going to get you help."

"There is no helping me at this point I'm afraid." Sarah whispered, her voice getting weaker and weaker. "Barbara promise me one thing, don't give up on Harley."

"Sarah please!" Barbara wept,

"Promise me, that you will get through to her. There is still good in her I know it. She is lost, but you can get through to her, I believe in you. Promise me, that you will get through to her."

Through sobs Barbara nodded. It was right then that Sarah's head fell back, her arms fell to the ground and her eyes closed for the last time as she took her last breath, dying in Barbara's arms

"NO!" Barbara cried "NO! NO! NO! SARAH!" Barbara grasped Sarah's body tight, and rested Sarah's head on her chest as she wept over her deceased friend. In one day, in a little over twelve hours, Barbara had lost both of her best friends.

 **Sorry, it had to be done. I knew the second I created Sarah that she was going to die and I also knew it was going to be in the second story when Harley went rogue. I know it's sad but I needed Barbara to have some sort of tragedy in her life sense she didn't lose any of her parents like Bruce did.**

 **Till next time.**


	8. Chapter 8

Sarah's funeral was held outside at her grave site five days later, even though Jim didn't know Sarah as well as Barbara, he joined her for moral support. Sarah's death hit Barbara hard, on top of Harley working in favor of the Joker and being the mastermind behind his escape, Sarah got murdered as a result of Harley's actions. In one day Barbara lost both her room mates and best friends.

Barbra spent most of her days after Sarah's death alone, locking herself in her room and morning the lost of her friend. Her father tried to be there for her, often bringing her dinner and trying to comfort her the way a father could, but most of the time she refused to open the door, and when she did she fell into her father's arms and sobbed.

The only time she got out during these past few days was at night to try to track down Joker's men. She knew he was out there and she was desperate to track him down and avenge her friend's death. None of Joker's men said anything though despite Batgirl's best antics, and night after night, Batgirl's trails ended up cold.

The day of Sarah's funeral, Barbara sat in the middle row right next to her father, she dressed in a black dress, a black vale covering her face as she remained silent, tears falling from her face as her family spoke about her. Her father wrapped a comforting arm around her but it did little to help, she still had a hard time wrapping her head around this whole situation. How could Harley do something like this? How could she join up with the Joker? Why would she? She was always the one trying to help them reform and now to just straight up join them and break Joker out and kill Sarah her best friend and room mate? This didn't make since to her. She didn't know how she would face Harley after this, or how she would keep Sarah's promise and help Harley break loose, but to honor her friend's memory she had to try.

When Barbara walked up to Sarah's casket to pay her final respects, she gave a tearful chuckle as she saw Sarah was still wearing her silly red highlights, though in death they didn't look as silly anymore.

"Goodbye... my friend."

Nobody noticed hiding behind some trees was Harley. She didn't dare show her face to the rest of the crowd but she watched the funeral from a distance, her face wet from her own tears. Sarah was not supposed to get hurt, in fact she was the only person in that asylum that she didn't want killed, but yet she was, and it was her own fault to.

No, it was Batgirl's. If Batgirl wasn't there, if she just minded her own damn business Sarah would still be alive. If she didn't want Batgirl dead before, she did now. She would avenge her friends death, she was going to kill the Batgirl.

Once the funeral was over and everyone started to leave, Sarah's father approached Barbara, who was just starting to head to her car.

"Your Barbara Gordon right?" He asked putting his hand own her shoulder.

"I am."

"Sarah told me a lot about you, I always hoped we would meet someday." He stopped and lowered his head in morning as he struggled to say the next part. "I just never dreamed it would be like this."

"I'm sorry for your loss Mr. Strong. Sarah was a wonderful person."

"I just can't believe it, Harley? The two of them were inseparable, those two were like sisters. Or so I thought anyway. I guess you never really know someone."

"No," Barbara replied in a depressed voice "I guess you don't."

When everybody left for home Barbara returned and looked down at Sarah's grave site. A tombstone had been placed at her grave with a picture of her as well as her date of birth and death. The words _Loving daughter, sister, and friend._ Had been sketched in it.

"I really wish you were alive right now." Barbara cried as she stared at Sarah's grave. "Cause for the first time since I put on that cowl I don't know what to do. I know you said don't give up on Harley, but I just don't know how I can? Everyday since you've been gone, I have to walk through a empty apartment, and I know who is to blame for it. I'll never be able to hear your laughter, never be able to come to you for advice or cuddle up next to with a blanket and a giant bowl of popcorn and watch Neflix on our days off because of her." Barbara fell to her knees, closing her eyes as more tears fell from her face. "I need your advice, how am I going to face Harley, how am I going to break her free from Joker? How can I keep my promise, knowing who is responsible for you not being here anymore?"

That evening Jim stopped by Barbara's house with some dinner, the same thing he had done the previous four days since Sarah's death, hoping Barbara would finally open up to her. He rang the door bell and this time Barbara did open the door.

"Got you some Chinese takeout." Jim said handing Barbara the paper bowl on noodles.

"Thank's dad," Barbara sighed, tiredly accepting the food from him, the food did smell delicious but she hardly felt like eating.

"I'm still here you know? You can always open up to me, I am still your father."

"Thanks dad but right now. I just would like to be alone. This was just all to sudden for me."

"Well if you change your mind please call me, I hate seeing my little girl like this."

Barbara closed the door and sat on the couch and forcefully tried to shove the noodles in her mouth. She had hardly eaten anything the past few days, even though she didn't feel like eating her body was telling her to get something in her stomach.

As she ate she saw standing on the desk beside her a picture of her, Sarah, and Harley at he City fair four months back. Harley was chowing down on her second of six hotdogs, while Barbara was showing off a giant teddy bear she had just won at the ring toss game. After the picture was taken they had rode this wild roller coaster called _Devil's Highway_ and Harley ended up losing her lunch. Barbara chuckled at the picture at the memories before another tear fell from her eyes. She did indeed need to open up to someone, but it couldn't be her father, for he couldn't give her the help she really needed. She needed to talk to someone who had been in her shoes. She needed Batman.

Taking out her cell phone Barbara sent out a text.

 _We need to talk._

That night on top of the GCPD next to the bat symbol Batman glided down and met up with Barbara, who was wearing her Bat suit minus the mask.

"Take the mask off Bruce, it's only going to be the two of us." Bruce took off his mask and sat it down next to him.

"I'm sorry for your loss Babs,"

"You've been doing this for over ten years now Batman? Have you ever had anyone whom you've trusted with your life betray you the way Harley has me?"

"I have," Bruce replied "Harvey Dent actually. Like you and Harley we were both really good friends. Not to the extent you and Harley was but we trusted each other, hung out and even hooked each other up with dates. I donated to his campaigns and made public appearances with him during his re election campaigns. We were really close. Then the accident happened that scarred his face up and it ended up driving him to insanity. His insanity turned him to crime and he has ended up killing _many_ people. I still grieve over what happened with him, wondering if I could have prevented the incident from happening.

"Have you ever gave up on him?"

"Part of me has wanted to, but I believe if the roles were reversed Harvey wouldn't give up on me. I know you think that hope is loss for Harley, but deep down if you believe there is still any good left in Harley then you have to try to break her from Joker's grasp. It's going to be hard, and painful. It's going to eat you up emotionally having to confront someone you care so much for. But if she truly was your friend, then you have to fight for her, no matter the challenges."

Barbara exhaled and nodded her head as she understood what Bruce was saying. There was still one more thing she had to know though.

"Is it true?"

"About what?" Bruce asked confused.

"Are you responsible for the Joker's creation?"

Bruce sighed "You know about that day, do you?"

"I saw the video, I saw Red Hood was surrendering yet you were still coming at him. He fell into the chemicals because of you! Then you didn't even try to find him! WHY!?"

Bruce sighed and lowered his head a little ashamed. "It was still early on in my vigilante career. Back then I didn't have as much restraint, so I didn't hold back as much as I should have. That was one of the reasons your father went after me at first. I saw the Red Hood as just another criminal and approached him as one. I knew he was scared, I knew he was about to surrender and was begging for mercy. But I wanted to strike a little bit more fear in him. That was when he backed up farther and lost his balance hence falling into the chemicals. I didn't go after him, because I knew I was responsible for what happened and I was scared over what I just did. I thought I crossed the line and killed, becoming the thing I hated. My own guilt prevented me from searching for him."

Barbara let out a frustrated sigh before approaching Batman and giving him a angry shove. "You should have gone after him though! You should have tried to save him, you should have done _something!_ If you had held back, showed restraint, he never would have fell into those chemicals, never would have became Joker, and never would have brainwashed my best friend, Sarah would still be alive! Everyone one he has killed, every family he has torn apart, every soul he has brainwashed is on you!" Out of anger Barbara struck Bruce against the face, Bruce rubbed his face surprised over Barbara's action.

"You started this war, now I'm going to finish it." Barbara put on her cowl and took out her grappling hook. "I'm going to find him and I'm going to make sure he doesn't over do what he did to Harley ever again. Stay out of my way!"

Batgirl grappled off, leaving Bruce to watch in concerned, fearful of where Barbara's actions would lead.

"Alfred," Bruce called over his earpiece, "Keep a eye out on Barbara, I fear her actions are going to get her killed, or _worse."_

At Ace Chemicals Joker was pacing around Harley who stood over the very same vat of chemicals that transformed him into the Joker. Harley was on her knees as Joker was going over her official inauguration into their gang.

"Do you promise to serve me and only me?"

"I do,"

"And do you promise to obey every order and command I give, no matter how crazy insane it is?"

"I do."

"And if confronted by the Batgirl, do you promise to kill her?"

Harley let out a wicked smile "I thought you would never ask."

"Then hereby announce you Harley as my second in Command. Now bath in the same chemicals that transformed me into what you see today, and become my partner in crime." Joker pushed Harley into the vat of chemicals. Harley sank into the bottom of the vat where she remained for fifteen seconds.

Then, she shot straight up from the vat, her skin was chalky white, as well as her hair minus the tips that had now been transformed into pink and blue. Joker's men came running up to her with a towel to help her dry off as she wrapped her arms around Joker's neck and gave him a possessive kiss on the lips.

"My Puddin'."


	9. Chapter 9

Despite all her best antics none of the Joker's men was telling Batgirl where Joker's new hideout was. She had tried every antic she knew, dangling them over a tall building, twisting their body parts in ways they shouldn't be twisted, she even went to extreme tactics Batman wouldn't go and took a blow torch to one of them, still even then no one would talk.

Desperate to find Harley, and with nothing working, Batgirl finally used a device she made a few months back but had yet to use. It was like a gun, and was even shaped like a assault rifle, but instead of bullets it shot out a tracking chip that allowed her to track someone's every move.

Three days after Sarah's funeral and Batgirl's search for the Joker, Batgirl took her tracking gun to the streets. Perched on a rooftop high above the city Batgirl searched the streets for one of Joker's goons to track. After a good forty minute wait she spotted one of the men she interrogated earlier that worked for the Joker. He might have refused to talk but Batgirl didn't need him to anymore. Aiming her scope to line up directly with the back of the goon's neck, she fired her tracker, the chip landed perfectly in the middle of the goon's neck.

The goon sensed a little pinch and swatted at his neck thinking whatever stung him was a bug. The chip had dug it's way into his skin at that point, there was no way it was getting out without digging it out.

"Now let's see where you are off too," Batgirl chuckled taking out a small screen that tracked the guy's every move.

"Miss Gordon, I hope you have a plan of action for when you take on Joker," Alfred's voice spoke up from Batgirl's earpiece.

"I will make sure he never harms anybody again."

"Miss Gordon there is a fine line between justice and vengeance and I fear that you are own the verge of crossing it. Don't let Miss Strong's death cause you to forget who you are."

"Alfred I told Batman to stay out of my way, I advice you to do the same. I will do what must be done."

"Just remember what that mask you where stands for Miss Gordon." Alfred hung up, knowing that he wouldn't get anywhere else with Batgirl.

After thirty more minutes of waiting Batgirl finally say the tracker enter a building that matched the type of building Joker liked to hide in. It was the old Gotham museum for Science and History. When Barbara was a kid she would often have class field trips to that Museum before it relocated downtown after a fire when she was in High School. There had been discussions on what to do with the old building but so far the city could not reach a agreement. So for now it was fair game for people like the Joker.

"Gotcha," Batgirl smirked as she took out her grappling hook and made her way to the museum.

When she arrived she perched herself upon a tree and using her X-ray lenses on her cowl she started searching through the museum for any traces of Joker and Harley.

After a few minutes she sensed Harley, she was in the old Dinosaur exhibit, once, filled with model skeletons of several species of dinosaurs, now just filled with the scum of Gotham's worst.

After taking out the few men that guarded the outside of the museum Batgirl made her way inside the museum. She made sure she was as quiet as possible, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention until she was ready. Crouching behind the wall outside the Dinosaur exhibit, she noticed a couple of Joker's men giving Harley some tattoos. Batgirl gasped at how unrecognizable Harley was, her skin was now as pale as the Joker's and her hair was no longer the pretty blonde but now a strange combination of white, blue and pink.

"My god Harley what have they done to you?" Batgirl gasped noticing how different Harley appeared to her old form.

It was suddenly that Joker walked in the room, the mere sight of him made Batgirl's blood boil."Good evening lady and gents. I just want to inform you all that we are all running right on schedule."

"But boss, how can we be on schedule when you haven't even told us the plan yet?" One of Joker's men asked confused.

"I like to start every meeting with positivity. A little positivity goes a long way you know? Now I'm sure you all wonder what all I've been cooking since my latest stay at Arkham? I ensure you it's a doozy. It's quite simple, we're going to take over the city."

"And just how are we going to do that with the Batgirl on our tail?" The same goon asked.

"Are you questioning my Mista J?" Harley scolded shooting up from her chair and wrapping her hands around the goon's next and starting to strangle him. "The same Mista J that has gone round and round with the other Bat freak, that if he chose to could carve you like a Jack O lantern and gut you like a fish, THAT MISTA J!?"

"No," The goon cried shaking with fear as he pleaded Harley for mercy, "No not at all." Batgirl was shocked at the shear sight of Harley's ruthlessness, this was definetely not the same Harley she knew.

"Now, now, let's not get hostile now," Joker said calmly. "I'm sure Dagger was just asking a simple question and not questioning my authority." Joker glared at the goon called Dagger and glared fire into his eyes "Weren't you Dagger?"

Dagger gulped and gave Joker a nervous thumbs up.

"Anyway, as I was saying. With the gang back together the Batgirl will not be a problem. See, soon we will launch our attack on the city, we will abduct all the leaders in Gotham, from the mayor to the idiot Commissioner to gave those bat freaks the power to run loose in this city. Once that is done we will force our way into power and put a massive hit out on the Batgirl. With the police unable to intervene due to being overthrown the Batgirl will be good as gone."

Batgirl had heard enough, it was time to intervene. "Sorry, won't be happening today Joker!" Batgirl came out of her hiding spot and revealed herself to the Joker, Harley and all of their men.

"Well speak of the devil, change of plans boys, kill Batgirl now, then the city will the ours."

All of Joker's men plus Harley attacked Batgirl, Harley was the first to attack, swinging her bat at Batgirl, missing by just a couple of inches. As much as it pained Batgirl to attack her friend she had to protect herself as well, she delivered a blow upon Harley's gut, grabbing the bat out of her hand and knocked her onto the ground as she turned her attention to everyone else.

With Harley's bat in Batgirl's possession Batgirl swung at one of the goon's hitting him over the head, giving him a massive concussion as he laid on the ground in pain. Batgirl then lifted up her right leg and delivered a jaw cracking kick on another guy's chin. Taking out her grapple Batgirl shot up in the air and took out a couple batarangs, she threw them down at a couple of goon's she hit one in the shoulder and another one in the side, both Batarangs stuck into their skin causing them to scream out in agony at the pain. Batgirl then landed on top of another goon's shoulders, the force of Batgirl's landing caused the goon's shoulders to dislocate. Batgirl could hear the bones crack as she landed, followed by the agonizing scream from the goon. Once she landed one goon swung at her, but Batgirl easily dodged the blow and delivered two quick blows to the guy's gut and face before throwing him over her shoulder and finishing him with one more blow to the head. She then grabbed another guy and smashed his head into the wall with enough force that it caused a hole in the wall. Finally Barbara finished up the final goon, as he swung at her Batgirl kicked him into a glass display, the glass shattered, cutting the goon as he lay in pain surrounded in shattered glass shards.

With the last of Joker's men down for the count Batgirl put her focus back on Harley. Before she could make her getaway Batgirl tied her up to a pole preventing her from escaping.

"I don't know what Joker did to you Dr. Quinzel but you and I are going to have a serious heart to heart later.

"Go to hell Bat freak." Harley hissed.

Batgirl didn't respond, her main focus now was on Joker. As Batgirl ran off Harley turned to the goons laying on the ground. "Hey nobody said you could take a break! One of you get your ass over here and untie me or so help me I will drive your stinking carcasses to the zoo and dump you into the hyena exhibit!"

Joker's laughter could be heard all across the museum, mainly because the walls had a heavy echo. Batgirl turned on the X-ray goggles to try to see if Joker was hiding in one of the many rooms in the museum. What she didn't expect was that Joker was actually hiding up above her, having climbed up on a high shelf. Batgirl didn't even notice him until he dropped down on her with a knife.

"Mind if I drop in?" Joker laughed, landing on Batgirl's shoulders. Batgirl groaned in pain as she felt Joker's entire body weight land on her. She had barely had the chance to get up before Joker slashed her left arm with a knife, slicing her suit open.

"Ooh that looks like it's going to leave a scar," Joker laughed before swinging his knife again. "Here, have some more!" Joker swung his knife wildly at Batgirl, she did everything she could to avoid Joker's blade but he still was able to find Batgirl's left leg and right shoulder before with the knife before Batgirl finally grabbed Joker's wrist and knocked the knife out of his hand.

That was when Batgirl let out some revenge on Joker, she delivered a punishing blow to Joker's gut, knocking the wind right out of him. Joker gasped and wheezed trying to catch his breath before Batgirl pinned him against a wall and delivered a huge blow to Joker's right eye.

"What did you do to her!?" Batgirl screamed as she delivered blow after blow to Joker's head. "What did you do!?"

Batgirl wasn't done yet with the Joker, not even close. Before Joker had the chance to answer Batgirl threw him against a wooden table. The table split in two as Joker slammed into it. As Joker laid on the ground Batgirl ripped off a table leg and started striking Joker repeatedly with it.

"Harley was a innocent woman, a good therapist! She wanted to help people! And you turned her into a psychopathic murderer! Why!?" The angrier Batgirl became the harder her blows became and soon the table leg she held started becoming covered in blood. "WHAT... DID... YOU... DO... TO HER...!?"

Batgirl finally paused on the beating to catch her breath, that's when she finally noticed the damage she had done to Joker. Both his eyes were swelled up from the blows, and he was spitting up blood. Despite nearly being beaten to death Joker still managed to chuckle at the whole situation. "Why do you care? Do you to have a history? Were you friends? Sisters? _Lovers?_ Why are you so interested in Dr. Quinzel."

Seething with anger Batgirl grabbed Joker by the collar and glared daggers in his eyes "Our history is none of your business. Now I'm going to ask you one last time. What, did you do to her?"

All Batgirl's response was at first was a loud sadistic laugh from the Joker. Batgirl was about to deliver another beating when the Joker finally spoke, albeit through chuckles.

"You want to know what I did? All I did was show Harley the truth. I peeled back the layers of you Bat people and showed her that deep down, your all just maniacs like me. You lock us up in that asylum, deem us all insane, when you are just as insane as the rest of us, maybe even more. You hide your face from the public, created this false idol for the city to worship. But all you are is just a crazy little girl with a extreme case of personality issues. Your just as crazy as the rest of us."

"At least I'm not a monster like you?"

"No, you just create them!" Batgirl heard Harley's voice say from behind. Batgirl turned around and saw Harley had gotten herself free and drew a gun on Batgirl. Before Batgirl could react Harley pulled the trigger.

 _BANG!_

Batgirl's eyes went wide as she felt her legs give in below her. Batgirl fell to the ground unable to feel her legs as she saw Blood spilling from her gut.

"Harley?" Batgirl gasped, finding herself struggling to breath.

"Aw, what's da matter," Harley teased as she stood above Batgirl with her bat in her hand. "Did the Batgirl take a bullet to da spine?"

"Harley... don't... please."

"Say good night Bat!" Harley swung her bat across Batgirl's head, then everything went dark.

 **In case you were wondering yes I am taking a little inspiration from "The Killing Joke" It was to big of Barbara's history to fully ignore. Although I am completely doing my own thing with it.**


	10. Chapter 10

She couldn't feel her legs as she was dragged farther and farther down the grassy field. All she could see was the darkness of the night sky and all she could hear was the maniacal laughter of the man dragging her away.

She didn't know what hurt her the most, the fact that she got shot in the spine and was being drug through the hard grass by her feet by Gotham's most infamous super criminal, the clown prince of crime, or that her best friend was responsible for all of this, having fallen in love with the mad man and betrayed her. Whatever it was, she was power less to fight back, and after being dragged across the grass for what felt like a eternity, she finally caught a glimpse of where the clown prince of crime was taking her, Arkham Asylum.

As she was drug into the asylum that one moment spun continuously through her mind, Harley with a gun shooting her in her spine. And the face she wore while doing it, she enjoyed it and laughed as she knocked her unconscious. Whatever Harley was before was truly lost due to that madman. Batgirl knew she made a promise to Sarah before she died, but as she was drug to one of Arkham's many cells, unable to move due to the bullet lodged in her spine, she feared that the old Harley truly was gone forever.

As Batgirl's wrists got chained to a cell wall, she noticed to her left was a older man with a grizzled face and wild silver hair laying in a fetal position on the floor. Batgirl had info on most every inmate in Arkham but for some reason she was unfamiliar with this patient. Maybe he was a newer patient or was just recently transferred over to them. Regardless she had more pressing matters on her plate right now, like the crazy clown responsible for her current predicament.

"Really does add to the place don't you think Harley dear?" Joker laughed as he starred at Batgirl chained up to the wall.

"It sure does Mr. J." Harley agreed wrapping both her arms around Joker's left arm "Brat girl is finally where she belongs, with the rest of the crazies."

"What happened to you Harley?" Batgirl asked "This isn't you."

"It is now, and you are the one to blame. Well you and B-man. But he will be joining us soon. Once the city is ours he is bound to come out of hiding."

"Why do you want to take over Gotham Joker? You've never been the City takeover type."

"True," Joker laughed "But my boys on the other hand, they are the ones that want to take it over. So I thought I'd give them what they want and use it as a ploy for my _real_ master plan."

"Which is?"

"To draw the Batman out and finish what we started of course. And _you_ Batgirl are the bait, well you and Gotham anyway."

"Your insane." Batgirl hissed before Joker delivered a fist to Batgirl's gut. Batgirl curled forward the wind knocked out of her. Chained up there was no defense against Joker's attacks

"That's hurtful," Joker replied "And here I thought you'd be more thankful we allowed you to come out of this only with your legs no longer in working shape. I don't know what your connection is with the Bat nor do I care, but obviously he trusts you enough to take care of his precious city. Once he sees what my boys do to this place and what has become of his apprentice he will come rushing back to Gotham to save you."

"But by then he will be to late." Harley laughed.

"Ah Harley don't spoil the ending it will ruin the twist ending!"

"What twist ending?"

"Well I suppose it would be unfair to leave you hanging now would it. Care to tell her Harley."

"Once Bat Freak comes to save you. He will watch as his successor, that will be you, dies in front of his eyes. By my hands of course."

"Your death will drive the Bat mad," Joker replied, "Then once his mind is gone we will finally show the world that the Bat is just as crazy as the rest of us."

"Your sadistic."

"Anyway enjoy your last day on Earth, by my predictions old Bat Boy should be hear to rescue you in a few hours. Harley will you be a dear and watch our prisoner while I prepare for the welcome home party?"

"Will do Puddin'"

"Oh and please feel free to watch the event unfold on the TV." Joker laughed, pointing to the TV hanging on the wall outside her cell. "I want you to feel as home as possible right before your tragic ending. Ta, Ta now!"

Harley guarded the cell as the Joker left the Asylum, his laugh could be heard echoing the hallways. This was her chance, if there was any hope of getting through to Harley it was now.

"This is not you Harley."

"Quite Brat girl. If I had my way you'd be dead right now!"

"The Harley I know would never join forces with the Joker, she wanted to help reform these patients not become them."

"You don't know anything about me Batgirl. We didn't even meet until that incident at the theater."

"I know enough to know you cared about your patients, and you always was optimistic that they would change no matter how dangerous they were. That's one of the reasons why you continued to interview the Joker was it? Sarah told me how you were scared around him but yet you kept going back. Was it because you felt despite your fear that you could help him."

"You are not worthy of speaking Sarah's name. It's your fault she's dead."

"No Harley it's _yours_. You fired the rocket launcher, you hit the gargoyle above our head. Sarah's death is on YOU!"

"Your lying!"

"But you know what Harley, Despite everything you did, Sarah's last wish was for me to help you find the good in you again. As she died in my arms, she begged me not to give up on you, begged me to help you find yourself again. I want to honor her wish but you need to be willing to change!"

"Why are you so willing to help people you don't know? Who are you?" Harley unlocked the cell door and walked over to where Barbara was chained up. Curious of who Batgirl was and why she was so dead set on helping her she ripped off Batgirl's cowl before Batgirl had time to protest. What she saw underneath that cowl caused her to nearly fall over backwards in shock and disbelief.

"Babs?"

"Harley please," Barbara pleaded "I'm your friend, let me help you."

This was to much for Harley to take in. Harley's friend, whom she roomed with and hung out after work was actually was the Batgirl, the girl she blamed for Joker's problems. No, this couldn't be? This was a sick joke! Overwhelmed and not sure what to do she ran out of the cell and locked it up before running to another hall leaving Barbara in tears at having to witness what had happened to her best friend.

"Has any of Joker's men talked yet?" Jim asked one of his officers at the G.C.P.D about twenty minutes later. Several of Joker's men where in police lockup, delivered by Batgirl over the past few days. Jim had spent every possible moment since trying to get them to give the Joker's location and plans to them, but despite even his most fiercest tactics none of them would speak.

"Sadly they have all got lawyers and plead the fifth. We ain't getting anywhere with them sir."

"Shit!" Gordon hissed "Get to the Bat symbol and contact Batgirl, hopefully she has found something."

It was right then that the front entrance to the police station blew in knocking everyone to the floor. Jim coughed up debris as the smoke cleared and he saw Joker with a R.P.G in his hand. He was trailed by ten of his men.

"I'm sorry, Batgirl can't come to your aid right now, please leave a message after the BWAH HA HA HA!"

Jim instantly pulled out his gun and started firing at Joker, followed by all the other officers at the precinct. Joker quickly dodged Jim's bullet before pulling out a Tommy gun. He instantly opened fire on the precinct taking out four of Jim's officers.

"Officers down, I repeat multiple Officers down!" Jim called over his radio while ducking behind his desk. He witnessed as another officer fired at the Joker only to receive five bullets in the chest. "G.C.P.D under attack by the Joker, all units report to the G.C.P.D at once."

"It's the all you can kill cops buffet boys!" Joker laughed as started walking toward the exit. Another cop fired after him, trying to prevent him from leaving only for the Joker to turn and fire three bullets in his chest. "Seriously Jimmy boy I thought you would have better trained officers then this, I'm barely breaking a sweat."

Jim popped out of his hiding place and fired a single shot at Joker's head. It narrowly missed and hit the wooden door frame six inches from Joker's face. Joker turned and smiled towards Jim's direction.

"Swing and a miss Jimmy boy!" Joker aimed his gun at Jim and fired, only to have another officer jump in front of Jim and take the bullets for him.

"Ooo now that's funny." Joker laughed "Sacrificing yourself for the old Commissioner." Joker shrugged and walked out of the building, leaving his men to attack the precinct "Oh well so long Jimbo."

As Joker walked down the steps of the precinct five police cars drove up and surrounded Joker. Joker just laughed and shook his head as the officers got out of their cars and pointed their weapons at him. Joker's smile never left his face as he took back out his R.P.G and fired one rocket at the swarm of cops. All five of the cars exploded and the officers flew into the air in a burst of flames as the Joker laughed sadistically at the scene before him.

"Oh I just love a good bonfire BWAH HA HA HA!."

As Joker continued to walk down the steps he soon saw news helicopter soon flying over his head

"Oooh is it time for the late night news already? Here report this!" Joker shot another rocket at the helicopter hitting it's tail fin causing the helicopter to spin out of control. As The helicopter crashed about half a mile in front of him, Joker calmly walked up to the crash sight and snatched the camera out of the dead reporters hands. Turning the camera own Joker turned the camera toward himself and sent a message for all of Gotham to see knowing it would make it's way to Batman.

"Guess who's back Batman? It's me, your favorite clown Prince of Crime!" Joker turned the camera to the wreckage before turning the camera back to himself. "See what I've been up to Batsy? That's only a small taste of whats to come if you don't show your pretty face. Inside the G.C.P.D as we speak the Gotham police force is being shot up like a shooting range and your heir to the cowl or whatever the hell she is supposed to be has been reduced to a cripple and tied up in Arkham. Show your face Bats, we all know you can't resist me. It's time we continued our little game of ours. I've made the first move, now it's time to make yours. Face me, or your precious city, as well as that cute red head you brought into our game dies!"


	11. Chapter 11

Barbara worked viciously to get free from the chains that bound her to the wall. There was a lock pick hidden in her right sleeve, if she could wriggle it loose enough to grab it with her fingers she could start working her way free from her bounds. Despite being paralyzed do to Harley's bullet she wasn't going to give in to Joker's game without a honest fight. After a couple minutes she wiggled the pick loose from her sleeve, grabbed it with her fingers and started frantically to try to break open the locks.

"And just how are you planning to get out of here?" The man in the corner asked. Barbara was startled to hear the man suddenly speak up. With the incident with Harley, the chaos unfolding on TV, and her own predicament she totally forgot there was someone else in the room.

The man got up from his spot in the cell and walked over to where Barbara was chained. The man had wild silver hair that spread out all over the place and a thick grizzly beard. From the looks of it he had to be in at least his fifties or sixties, probably even his seventies. He grabbed the pick and undid Barbara's chains within two seconds. Barbara then fell to the floor, the man stepped to the side as Barbara was unable to get up, having to resort to crawling on the floor.

"Your paralyzed," The man pointed out. "You ain't going to make it out of here if you can't walk, you'll never making past the crazy woman."

"Who are you?" Barbara asked

"Who I am is not important, but I was a doctor here in Arkham before Joker broke loose, and now I am too am a innocent prisoner to that mad man's game."

Barbara hissed as she crawled to the wall and watched the chaos unfold on TV. Joker had completely took over the news stations and was filming his men torch the city. They were throwing torches into cars, smashing open store windows and looting the businesses blind. The police was doing everything they could to stop the madness but were finding themselves overwhelmed. Seeing what Joker was doing to her city, and being unable to stop it, Barbara felt tears forming in her eyes.

"It's awful is it?" The man said "To see something you love consume into darkness."

"Yes," Barbara cried as she wondered if the man was just referring to Gotham or to her and Harley's relationship as well. After all the man had been witness to Barbara's unmasking he had to have noticed the tension between the two and caught on that they were friends. "Yes it is."

"But that doesn't mean you just give into the darkness, you have to be the light that holds back the darkness, and be the beacon of hope where there is believed to be none."

"How can I be a beacon of hope when I'm in this predicament?" Barbara asked "I can't even walk?" It was right then that something donned on her.

"Wait a second? Doctor, did Arkham have any of the Miracle Walkers that I invented."

"Every hospital in the country ordered some shortly after Wayne Manor made them available to the public."

"Get me to the medical center, I got to get back in action. I have to stop this thing."

"Batgirl, as a doctor I must warn you, springing into combat right after a major surgery like that could cause severe consequences. Who knows how your body will react to such a change?"

"We don't have time! Joker is destroying Gotham and I am the only one who can stop it."

"At the risk of your own life?"

"You think I put on this cowl and go out there each night beating up evil doers for the fun of it? I put my life on the line every time I put on this cowl, I voluntary risk my life because the city needs me. And it still does. Do the procedure, get me walking again."

"And if we run into Harley?"

Barbara reached into her belt and pulled out a batarange and tossed it to the doctor. "It's a shock batarange. It will stun it's enemies and knock them out without killing them."

The doctor took the batarange and stuffed it in his pocket. Then, despite his reservations he picked Barbara up and carried her to the operation room for the procedures.

Once inside the operating room Barbara took off her uniform top so the doctor could have access to her back for the procedure. The doctor hooked Barbara up to a respirator, laid her own her stomach and gave her a shot of anesthetic to sedate Barbara for the procedure.

"It's just fair to warn you, I have never done this exact procedure before. Who knows how the outcome could be?"

"I trust you doc." Barbara whispered before she went under. "I trust you." With those last words Barbara was out, and the doctor started cutting a incision in Barbara's back, hoping that this procedure really would work.

In another park of Arkham, locking herself in the woman room, Harley was on her knees reeling over finding out Batgirl's identity. Barbara, her friend and room mate was actually the Batgirl? How could this be? Why did she never tell them? It wasn't just the fact that Barbara was Batgirl that was driving her insane but what Barbara told her right before she was unmasked. She told Harley that is was _her_ fault that Sarah was dead. Ever since Sarah's death Harley had been blaming Batgirl for Sarah's death, and using that as motive to kill her, but Batgirl just flipped the table on her, telling Harley that her joining the Joker's side was what led to Sarah's death.

Then to top it all off Barbara claimed Sarah's dying wish was for Barbara not to give up on her. Why? Why would Sarah still be thinking of Harley in such a friendly way if she was responsible for her death?

Getting on her feet, she stared at her reflection in the mirror and got the first real look at what she had become. She didn't recognize herself anymore, gone was her peachy skin, her gorgeous blond locks and bright smile. All that was left was a ghostly figure that better resembled what she saw in her nightmares of the Joker almost two years ago. No, she looked _exactly_ what she looked like in her nightmares down to the uniform. She had become everything she feared. She let the Joker get to her, she let him win, she let him destroy her.

Screaming Harley smashed her fist through the mirror, shattering it before crawling against the wall and sobbed, burying her face in her blood covered hands.

"Oh Sarah, I'm so sorry! I did this, I betrayed you! I killed you Sarah!" She had to fix this, she had to hope to somehow make this right. "Babs, I got to save Babs!"

Running back to Barbara's cell she gasped to find that the cell was empty. "Babs? Babs where did you go?"

Harley was suddenly startled by the sound of Joker's maniacal laughter. Turning around Harley gasped to see Joker on the TV recording the mayhem that was unfolding in Gotham. Harley's eyes widened in terror as she watched one of Joker's boys grab a elderly man out of a car and start to beat him to death. The thug then laid the man back in his car and lit the car on fire with his lighter.

"Are you not entertained Batman?" Joker cried out as he filmed the spectacle. "This is all happening for you!" Joker turned the camera on himself and laughed as his sadistic grin filled up half the screen. "I just know you want to join this party. I even got party guests lined up and waiting for you!" Joker pulled the camera toward the direction of three hostages tied up to chairs. This was when Harley got her first glimpse of where the Joker currently was. Behind the hostages was a furnace, there was only a handful of buildings that had furnaces attached to their rooftops, and during Harley's time as a therapist studying Joker's case files there was only one that Joker had access to during his time as a fugitive, the Gotham city steel mill.

"You better hurry Bats, or you will miss all the party games, we are just fixing to start our next game, A game I like to call _guess who dies next?"_

Harley wanted to look away, she wanted to stop watching, but her fear kept her glued as she continued to watch the horror in front of her.

"Here's how we play, I'm thinking of a number between one and ten thousand, which ever one of these lucky party guests gets closest to the number wins!"

Joker turned to the first hostage, a tall slender man that looked in his mid thirties, wearing a tux and large round glasses.

"You there, what's your name?"

"Um... Chuck?"

"What's your guess Chuck?"

"Um... four hundred?"

"NOPE!" Joker laughed before kicking Chuck into the furnace chair and all, laughing as he burned to death. Harley couldn't help but scream at the sight.

"Next contestant?" Joker turned to a young girl that looked like she was still in Collage.

"two thousand?" The girl cried in horror.

"eh, sorry!" The Joker tossed her into the furnace too, by now Harley was sobbing at the sight in front of her

"What have I done?" Harley cried. "I've released the devil himself!"

"And our final contestant!" Joker came to a middle aged man that with a thin beard that that starting to grey at the edges. "What's your guess?"

"eleven hundred?"

"Eleven hundred?" Joker repeated "That's right! Congratulation's you don't get to burn!"

"Really?" The man asked "Does that mean I get to go free?"

"No, but you do get to have a _laugh_ with me!" Joker sprayed laughing gas at the man out of the flower on his suit. The man started laughing uncontrollably. He laughed so hard his chair starting rocking. Soon he to fell backwards and fell into the furnace, laughing as he burned.

"Oops, looks like we ran out of party guests. Don't you hate it when they leave early. But don't worry, we will get some more here soon so don't go away!"

Harley had seen enough, she took off one of her heels and chunked it at the TV screen and shattered it. She then fell to the floor and started crying again, horrified at what she had caused.

Soon Barbara opened her eyes, the anesthetic running it's course she was greeted by the doctor reaching out his hand.

"The procedure was a success. The Miracle Walker was planted in your spine with little trouble, you should be able to walk again."

"Thanks doctor." Barbara sat up and placed one foot on the ground, she then the other and pushed her body forward, hoping that she would be able to stand up and walk. Slowly forcing herself up she was able to find herself standing with no problem, now came the moment of truth, she placed one foot in front of the other, then slowly repeated that motion again and again, speeding up with each step. It was a success, she was walking.

"You did it Doctor!" Barbara cried, "Thank you!"

"You can thank me by stopping the maniac out there!"

Putting her suit back on Barbara started running towards the Arkham exit, she had some unfinished business with the Joker. Both Barbara and the doctor stopped in surprise when they saw Harley sitting on her knees in front of Barbara's cell in tears. That wasn't what scared Barbara though, it was what she was holding, a gun.

"Harley?" Barbara called out concerned.

"You know Babs? I placed only one bullet in this gun. My plan was when Batman arrived to have him watch as me and Batgirl played a game of Russian Roulette. The game was rigged of course, I knew exactly where the bullet was, the plan was to have him watch as the game ended with the bullet going right through Batgirl's skull. But if I did that though, I would have killed my other roommate, just as I killed Sarah."

"Harley, put the gun down, let's talk." Barbara knew what Harley was about to due. Harley was so distraught over finding out who Batgirl was, she was unstable, and if Barbara didn't get her calmed down, she would lose her other friend, and fail Sarah.

"There's nothing to talk about Babs, I let you down, I let Sarah down. I became everything I hated. I let Joker get to me, manipulate me, brainwash me. And by doing so I became a monster, and I killed..." Harley choked up when she spoke the last part. "I killed my best friend. I killed Sarah!"

"Harley please, I can't lose you too."

"You already have." Harley wept "Don't you see, I'm already dead. There's nothing left for me!" Harley started to lift the gun to her head, Barbara had to think fast. Within the blink of a eye Barbara pulled out a batarange and threw it forward, knocking the gun out of Harley's hand and sent it flying down the other side of the hall. As Barbara ran over to Harley, Harley fell into Barbara's shoulder and sobbed bitterly.

"It's going to be okay, it's going to be okay."

"No, it's not going to be okay?" Harley sobbed as she buried herself as deep as she could in Barbara's arms. "I killed Sarah, how can you ever forgive something like that?"

"Cause I made a promise before she died not to give up on you. And I never will. Your going to be fine Harley, your going to get through this."

"How? How can I ever live with myself with what I've done."

"By getting yourself some help. Get help Harley, promise me you will get help."

Harley choked on a tear but she nodded her head promising she would.

With Harley calmed down Barbara ran into the cell and got her cowl as she strapped her cowl on she turned to the doctor who she owed for getting her back into action.

"I know you said it didn't matter who you was, but it matters to me. I got to know, who are you?"

"You've always known who I was miss Gordon." The doctor said, his voice suddenly changing from that of a American to that of a British man. "Be careful of out there now, and don't forget to where your helmet if you take the bike!"

"Alfred?" Barbara gasped. Alfred suddenly took off the wig and fake beard revealing his true self to Batgirl.

"Go miss Gordon. Save the day."

Batgirl nodded and turned towards the exit, but before she left Harley called out to her one last time.

"Babs, make sure to give him a extra kick in the ass for me!"

Batgirl smiled and gave Harley the thumbs up with that she was gone, leaving Harley and Alfred alone in Arkham asylum.

"So um... Alfred, you known Babs for very long?" Harley asked nervously, trying to make small talk with this knew man she just met.

"You and I are going to have a serious heart to heart Missy!" Alfred replied sternly, giving Harley a look that would melt butter.

I probably deserve it." Harley whined.


	12. Chapter 12

Jim Gordon hid behind his desk as he dodged more and more rounds of gunfire from Joker's thugs. They literally had Gordon's men surrounded, and the more they shot down the more seemed to come.

Jim was running out of bullets in his handgun, he had to find another weapon fast if he was going to stay alive, but with the amount of bullets flying above his head that was easier said than done. As he fired his last bullet, one that hit a thug in the chest, he crawled on his belly underneath a couple of desks and reached for the gun of one of his fallen officers.

Taking shelter behind the desk Jim peaked his head out from behind to see how many thugs blocked the exit. He had to get to Joker somehow, he had to end this madness, which is something he couldn't do if he was hiding behind a desk trying to evade gunfire.

The number of clowns blocking the exit happened to be six, Jim counted the number of bullets he had in the gun he grabbed... six. He had to make each of them count, he had to make sure each bullet hit it's mark.

"Not exactly a sniper rifle but it will do," Jim thought to himself taking the gun in both his hands and aiming it carefully at the first clown. Lining the shot up to the chest Jim fired, hitting the clown right in the chest. One down five to go.

His shot didn't go unnoticed, seeing their alley fall the other clowns turned their attention to the desk Jim was hiding fire and opened fire. Jim just waited patiently, he knew they would run out of bullets eventually and when they did he would be ready.

The second the bullets stopped firing Jim poked his head out from the desk again and fired, hitting another two clowns in the chest. Three left.

Jim ducked behind his desk again as the remaining three thugs opened fire. Jim chuckled to himself as he waited to return fire, taking out his pipe, putting in a little bit of tobacco in it and lit it. Cocking his gun he waited till the clowns had to reload then he jumped up and fired again taking out two more. Jim fired his last bullet at the final clown but to his horror the bullet missed, narrowly missing the head by a couple of inches.

The final clown reloaded and Jim had to duck for cover again as he tried to figure out a new strategy. He was only a few feet away from the clown. He could reach him within less then a second and wrestle the gun away. There was nowhere he could go however that the clown wouldn't see him. If he was going to tackle him down it would have to be when the clown was forced to reload again.

Jim prepared himself, and the second he heard gunfire cease Jim ran. He lunged at the clown. Reaching for the gun Jim found himself knocking it out of his hand within a couple of seconds. With the gun on the floor Jim delivered a serious of blows, punching the clown in the head two times before grabbing the clown by the hair and slamming his face in the wall.

Jim laughed as the clown fell, wiping the gun residue off his suit "Who says Batman and Batgirl are the only ones with moves?"

Once the last of the clowns was taking care of Jim ran to his police car and headed for the steel mill. Thanks to the TV in the break room next door Jim was able to hear everything Joker said through the TV, including Joker telling Batman where he was in order to meet him. Foolish mistake because now with the clowns defeated Jim's main focus tracking down the Joker. He also had a feeling Batgirl was on her way over there too.

His hunch was right, about fifteen miles west of him Batgirl was speeding down the streets on her bike trying to get to the still mill as quickly as possible. Harley had told Alfred where Barbara would be able to find Joker and Alfred passed the info along to Barbara. Now it was just a matter of getting to him, which wouldn't be hard, Joker wasn't the type who would leave a place without a fight. In fact there was several times Joker refused to leave the scene of the crime before having a confrontation with the Batman. He had become so obsessed with besting him that he would set crimes just for the Batman, and with Batman currently gone to fight alongside the Justice League Joker had set up a crime to try to draw him out, and the longer he waited the more dangerous he became, she had to take him down now before all of Gotham went up in flames.

"Bah, Phewy why won't you come out Batman!" Joker griped to the camera as he was becoming more and more impatient as each minute went by without the Batman showing up. "I have murdered people in front of you, targeted the G.C.P.D I even had your little heir crippled and chained to the asylum with the criminals! What is it going to take for you to show your pretty little face? Nuke Gotham? Cause I will you know, I will do it! I will do it in a heartbeat! Show yourself Batman! Or I will decide to reenact the bombing of Hiroshima!"

"Sorry you're not going to get that opportunity!" Joker turned around and saw Jim standing behind him, his gun pointed at Joker's back.

"What? How did you get passed my men? Ah hell who cares? They're expendable anyway, no matter you'll work out just fine."

"Get on your knees Joker," Jim commanded "Don't make me shoot you!"

"Yeah not going to happen," Joker laughed before turning to the camera again. "You see Batman this is what happens when you refuse to show up for the party. Now you get to watch your old friend die!"

Joker took out a bag of marbles and tossed them on the ground. Before Jim knew it the marbles exploded forcing his to go run for cover.

"You know Jim boy, I'm really glad you showed up!" Jim heard Joker cackling through the flames "I was really starting to run out of ways to motivate Bat Brain to show up. But now you have come along and given me a new breath of motivation.

Jim ducked behind a vent and looked into the flames, hoping to see a silhouette or something for him to target, his ears ringing from the loudness of the explosions he couldn't tell which way Joker's demonic laughter was coming from.

Then the whole place went quite, to quite for Jim's liking, Jim reading his gun, expecting Joker to fly out of the flames after him.

"Boo!" Jim turned around and the Joker tackled him to the ground. As the two of them wrestled on the rooftop Joker reached out of his left side pants pocket and pulled out a small knife.

"Let's put a smile on that face!"

"Not today Joker!" Jim raised his right knee and kicked Joker in the crotch, causing him to topple over in pain. Jim grabbed his gun off the ground and pointed at the Joker, who was toppled over in pain.

"Okay, no more I give!" Joker laughed, right before he reached in his shirt pocket. "But before you take me back to Arkham I would like to show you a magic trick. CATCH!" Joker tossed out a pack of razor sharp playing cards. The razor edges cut through the skin of Jim's arms, legs and sides. Joker laughed as he tackled Jim to the ground, grabbing Jim's right arm and pulling it behind his back as he pinned Jim to the ground.

"You need to retire old man. Allow me to help you with that, PERMANENTLY!"

Joker reached for a gun in his other pocket when he suddenly saw the silhouette of a standing in the shadows.

"Batman you finally arrived!"

"Hate to disappoint you Joker!" A feminine voice replied, Joker was taken aback when he suddenly saw Batgirl walk out from the shadows. "But the Batman is not showing up today."

"But how?" Joker gasped "Harley crippled you, she shot you right square in your spine!"

"Your not the only one with tricks Joker!" Batgirl started to make her way to Joker, only for him to pick Jim up and put a water pistol full of green acid to his temple.

"Not another step or I will turn the Commissioner's skull into green jello." Joker temporarily moved the pistol from Jim's head and sprayed green acid at a vent for demonstration. Despite the vent being metal the whole side sprayed with the acid completely melted within seconds.

"Looks like the jokes on me!" Joker taunted "I go through all this trouble breaking out of Arkham to throw a welcome home party for the bat and yet he doesn't even have the appreciation to show up! Instead he just sends his new sidekick in his place."

"There's one thing you need to know Joker," Batgirl responded, she had one hand behind her back as she grabbed a remote control batarange from her back belt pocket and started pushing buttons, making sure the Joker didn't see what she was up too. "I may not have been in the game as long as Batman, but I am no sidekick. You want to know why he isn't showing up? It's because he knows he can trust me with this city. He knows that as long as I am here to protect it, than Gotham couldn't be in safe hands. And not even you Joker can draw him out from where he needs to be. Because he knows that I can take even someone like you out!" Batgirl then threw the batarange and it flew right pass the Joker's head.

"Ha! You missed sidekick!" Joker laughed "Oh my god this is hilarious you can't even throw a batarange right!"

"Did I now?"

The batarang slung around and hit the Joker in the back of the head, causing the acid filled water pistol to fall out of his hands. Batgirl then lunged at the Joker, tackling him to the floor and start to punch him in the face.

"That one's for Sarah!" Batgirl growled as she punched Joker in the face again "That's one's for Harley!" She punched Joker a third time "And that ones for shooting me in the back!"

"Okay seriously, I got to know what is it between you and Harley?" Joker asked in hopes to distract Batgirl long enough for him to pull out another knife "You seriously seem to care way to much for a simple brainwashed therapist." Before Batgirl could react Joker swung his knife, slashing a major hole into the side of Batgirl's suit. Batgirl screamed in pain as she felt the knife make contact with her skin. Joker laughed as he kicked Batgirl off of him. He suddenly heard a helicopter landing behind him and turned to see several of Joker's men come jumping off the helicopter to join him in battle.

"Well isn't this a surprise!" Joker laughed as he was joined by twenty of his toughest goons. "Looks like your in a pickle now Batgirl. It's just you and the Commissioner against all of us!"

"No quite!" Joker heard a voice say behind him. He turned around and saw Harley run up the stairs holding her baseball bat in her hands, a look of pure hatred was smeared across her face.

"Harley how nice of you to join the par..." POW! Joker was suddenly knocked to the floor as Harley delivered a uppercut to Joker's jaw with her pat. Joker landed on the ground with a hard thud and stared at Harley with a look of complete shock and confusion.

"You know, for once, I don't get the joke."

"The Joke is, this is payback for brainwashing me into killing my friend!"

"Harley?" Batgirl gasped surprised to see her friend coming to her aid in battle. Harley walked up and joined Batgirl's side, a smile forming on her face as she joined her friend. "That friend of yours is quite the persuasive one, I see now why you keep him around."

"Well this is a huge joy kill. You think you find the one and then she dumps you for the redhead. She'll never love you like I did."

"I beg to differ."

"And I... no how to hold grudges. Boys, kill them all! Especially the backstabber!"

Jim, Harley, and Batgirl readied themselves, as soon as Joker's men came charging, the three of them stuck.

The final battle had now began.

 **You thought I was going to finish the climatic battle with the Joker in one chapter? Hell no, The Joker is worth at least a two chapter climax.**


	13. Chapter 13

Even though Jim had no idea that he was fighting alongside his daughter, for Batgirl there was no better feeling then having her father by her side. Even though Jim was now in his middle fifties there was no one Batgirl trusted more to have her back, especially now that they were fighting nearly all of Joker's gang and was severely outnumbered.

Batgirl, delivered a uppercut to one clown's chin while Jim delivered a blow to another clown's jaw. Harley wasn't near the experienced fighter as the other two, but she found her baseball bat pretty useful in combat, whacking clown, after clown over the head with it.

Batgirl was so distracted trying to take one clown down that she didn't see another clown pulling out a six shooter from his pocket. Jim saw him however and he took out his own gun and shot him in the leg crippling him. After delivering a final kick to the gut, the clown that Batgirl was fighting fell, and Batgirl turned around to see the clown Jim shot laying on the ground screaming in pain.

"I owe you one Commissioner." Batgirl's eyes then went wide as she noticed a clown sneaking up behind Jim with a knife. "Get down!"

Jim ducked as Batgirl through a batarange, hitting the clown in the temple and knocking him out cold. Jim turned to see the clown unconscious on the hard metal ground before turning to face the Batgirl "I think we're even."

Harley was batting away at the clowns attacking her, one attacker pulled out a heavy assault rifle on Harley, but thinking fast Harley was able to smash the rifle out of his hand and deliver a painful blow to the guy's face. Harley followed that attack up by turning around and smashing her bat into anothers clown gut, knocking the wind plain out of him as he fell to his knees and curled up into a ball. One clown picked up a pipe and started to raise it over Harley's head, but Harley quickly kicked up her leg and kicked the clown in the crotch. The clown dropped the pipe and screamed in agony, allowing Harley the chance to pick up the pipe and whack it across the clown's face.

Her back turned to address another attacker, a clown took out a assault rifle and started aiming it at the back of Harley's head. He was just about to pull the trigger when Batgirl came up from behind him and tackled him to the ground, wrestling the gun from his hands and smashed it across another clown's face before turning her attention back to him and delivering a finishing blow to his face.

Batgirl shot out her grappling hook and wrapped it around one clown's waist, she then slung him into another guy, tackling the two of them to the ground before picking them both up by the hair and smashing them into the metal ground. She then shot her grappling hook around another clown's ankle and yanked him to the ground, the clown hit his head hard, knocking him out cold.

"Commissioner to your right," Batgirl replied. Jim turned to his right and saw a clown about to attack him, Batgirl tossed him a metal pipe and Jim smacked it against the clown's face, knocking him out cold.

"How unacceptable can you idiot's be!?" Joker scolded towards his men. "There are dozens of you and only three of them, and one of them is almost old enough for the retirement home! And you can't even dispose of them properly? What am I even paying you for? You know what Batgirl, do with them what you want! I'm finished with them anyway."

"To bad we ain't finished with you!" Batgirl tossed a batarange towards Joker's direction only for Joker to shoot his acid filled water gun at the batarange, melting it before it even reached him.

"Oops, forgot I even had this." Joker laughed, "Here have a sample Batsy!" Joker fired the acid at Batgirl's direction. Batgirl barely had time to cover her face with her arms as the acid soaked her arms, melting through the fabric and burning Batgirl's skin. Batgirl screamed in pain as she examined the burns on her arms.

"You like it Batgirl?" Joker laughed "Have some more!"

Joker was suddenly blindsided by a kick to the back of his head, he fell to the ground and saw Harley standing over him, patting her bat in her open palm.

"You deserve every damn thing I'm about to do to you!"

"Now take it easy there slugger," Joker laughed nervously, "Think about all the fun times we had together, those long talks in the asylum, the flowers I sneaked into the office, wasn't those great."

Harley put a foot to Joker's chest, pinned him down as she put her bat to Joker's chin.

"Not near as great as what I'm about to do to you."

"Is this really the appreciation I get for all I've done for you?"

"What you've done to me? You turned me into a monster! You made me betray everything I ever stood for, you made me kill! You made me into your little puppet. And you don't control me anymore!"

"Why you ungrateful little!" Joker reached for his gun, which Harley had failed to kick away and sprayed it at Harley's arm. Harley screamed as the acid burned her arm, allowing Joker to jump to his feet and deliver a blow to Harley's face.

Harley quickly picked herself up off the floor, delivering a loud scream she slammed her bat into Joker's face, sending him flying across the ground.

"This is for Sarah you son of a bitch!" Harley screamed as she charged Joker, Joker had to quickly roll out of the way to avoid getting struck.

As Harley ran past Joker, Joker picked himself up and prepared himself for the next strike. As Harley turned around to face him, Joker could see the hatred in Harley's eyes.

"You ungrateful little brat," Joker growled. Harley didn't say a word she just screamed as the two of them clashed, both of them able to land a good number of blows to each other's face, gut and head. Eventually though after a few good blows, Harley started to get the upper hand, delivering a strike against the right side of Joker's face she was able to stun him long enough for Harley to hit him again and again and again. Soon Joker fell to his knees, his entire right side of his face coated in blood.

Staring at Joker helpless and bloodied, Harley seriously felt the temptation to finish him off right there. But no, she already had enough blood on her hands because of that devil. Her anger ceasing Harley walked up to the Joker, and glared down at his eyes.

"Your going back to Arkham to rot."

Despite his face being coated in blood Joker couldn't help but bust out laughing. "Perhaps you can join me there!" Joker delivered a blow to Harley's gut before delivering a uppercut to her chin knocking her to the floor.

Joker picked up his acid gun and walked slowly to Harley, who was struggling to pick herself up off the floor. "Nah, on second thought I think I'm just going to finish you right here."

Joker bent down and lifted Harley by the hair and pulled her up so she could look him in the eyes.

"It's time you realize what happens when a puppet tries to overrule his master!"

"I am not your puppet anymore!" With what little strength Harley had left she swung her bat one last time, knocking the gun out of Joker's hand and sending it flying off the rooftop.

"NO!" Joker screamed running to the edge of the roof to search for his gun, only to see it was long out of sight. He then felt Harley strike him in the back of the knee causing him to fall to the ground.

"It's over for you Joker."

"Oh, it's over all right." Joker laughed, not even intimidated at all by Harley "But not for _me!"_ Before Harley could react Joker took off a knife and stabbed Harley in the side.

"NO!" Batgirl screamed as she watched the blade go into Harley's side. She had already watched one friend die, she was not about to watch another. Her anger scale raising through the roof Batgirl charged after the Joker, tackling to the ground and started throwing punches. Jim ran over to check on Harley, she was losing blood fast, she would need medical attention quickly if she was going to make it.

"This is Commissioner Gordon," Jim called on his radio. "We have a stabbing at the Gotham City Steel Mill, requesting immediate medical attention, ASAP!"

Joker kicked Batgirl off of him, and let out a loud laugh as Batgirl picked herself off the floor.

"What's the matter Batgirl? Did I kill your little girlfriend, don't worry I'm sure you'll love again. I know sure as hell I will."

Joker heard the sound of a helicopter flying by him, looking up he saw it was piloted by one of his men, as it flew to the edge and lowered a ladder, Joker knew it was time for him to make his getaway.

"Well toots it's been fun, but all good parties must come to a end!"

Oh no, he was not going to get away. As Joker boarded the ladder Batgirl shot her grappling hook out and wrapped it around Joker's leg. Soon Batgirl was lifted up off the ground as the helicopter started lifting off.

"What are you doing!?" Joker gasped. "Get off, stop!" Batgirl didn't stop, she grappled up and grabbed Joker by the back of the collar and pulled him off the ladder. The both of them soon went in a free fall above the steel mill and it was only Batgirl's cape that kept her from getting crushed by the impact of her fall.

Joker however fell straight for the steel mill's main chimney. It was only his quick ability to grab onto the edge of the chimney that prevented him from burning to death.

Batgirl wouldn't admit it, but as she watched Joker dangle for his life she felt a little amusement. Still, she couldn't let him burn. Still, there was nothing wrong with making him struggle a little bit.

"Um, Batgirl, you wouldn't let your good friend Mr. J fry would you?"

As Batgirl watched Joker struggle she took out a recording baterange and pinned it to the ground, she wanted to make sure everything the two of them were about to discuss was on the record.

"Tell me Joker, would it have made have made a difference that day if you didn't fall in that acid?"

"What are you talking about "Brat girl?"

"You know what I'm talking about? That night at Ace Chemicals. When you fell into that vat, would it have made a difference if you had fell or not, would you still be the crazy psychopath you are today?"

"Well if it matters that much to you no it wouldn't. I had already turned to a life of crime and they killed my wife regardless. The chemicals wasn't the only thing that drove me mad, that event did too. So to answer your question no it wouldn't. I would still be the mass murderer, I would just be going by the Red Hood instead. So now that you know the truth, you going to help me?"

Batgirl turned and thought about everything Joker had througt the years, knowing that nothing would have made a difference and he still would have been the man he was today, she was really debating if saving him was worth it. "You are the reason for the worst events in Gotham's history. You have killed thousands of innocent people. I lock you away, you'll just get free and kill again."

"Yes, yes, very nice, now get me out of here."

"Still, despite everything you have done, I can't just let you die, that would make me no better then you." Batgirl lowered her hand. "Give me your hand."

Joker lifted his hand and took Batgirl's hand. But the second she took it a painful shock went through her entire body. Joker had placed his electric joy buzzer in his hand and was hoping to drag her down with him to her death. Joker grabbed Batgirl by the collar and the both of them toppled into the chimney. Thinking fast however Batgirl was able to shoot out her grappling hook and grapple onto the top of the chimney before she fell into the fire. Joker wasn't so lucky, Batgirl watched helplessly as Joker fell into the flames, laughing the entire way.

As Batgirl grappled herself up out of the chimney. Jim helped carry Harley to the edge to see what all the commotion was and saw Batgirl staring down inside the chimney. "Joker fell in."

"I'm sure not even the Joker could survive that." Harley replied.

"We've thought that before." Was all Batgirl said before she grappled off. Rather Joker was alive or not, she knew regardless it was over.

 **Next chapter will be the finale then it's on to story three.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Finally got the last chapter up. Sorry it's taken so long, I've been busy over the holidays.**

"So how you holding up?"

After Joker's apparent death Harley was taken to the hospital where she spent the next week recovering from her stab wound at the hands of the Joker. From there she was arrested and taken to Arkham Asylum. Despite a good word from Barbara as Batgirl, and her father, the judge still sentenced her to the asylum, although promising a shorter sentence for her help defeating the Joker.

"You know it's funny, I've been a employee of Arkham for three years, never would I have thought I would be here as a patient."

"I negotiated with the judge as Batgirl after your sentence. You can get out on good behavior within five years."

"I don't think I want to get out Babs."

"What do you mean."

"This was my life Babs, All I wanted to do was help reform criminals, help them turn over a new leaf. That's why I became a therapist at Arkham, to help them. And instead I became one myself. I destroyed my career, my life, nobody will hire me again after what I did."

"I don't believe that Harley."

"I killed people Babs," Harley was weeping now as she talked to Barbara over the glass, the phone in her hand the only way to communicate with her best friend and former roommate. "I killed innocent people I killed..." Harley choked on a sob "Sarah. This is where I belong."

"You also helped me take down the Joker. That alone should be worth something."

"How can you be so forgiving, after everything I did?"

"Because of Sarah's final words. She still saw the good in even in death. I'll admit Harley part of me wanted to give up on you after what you did. For a moment I truly believed all that was good in you was lost. But I kept remembering Sarah's final words, she still believed in you, even after you murdered her. She made me promise not to give up on you. And to honor a dying friend's memory I made sure I didn't."

Harley sniffled as a tearful smile formed on her face. "I don't deserve a friend like you Babs."

"Maybe you don't, but your stuck with me anyway."

"Your secret is safe with me Babs. I promise I will never tell anyone who you are."

"And I promise that I will always be by your side."

"I just want to hug you right now you know that?"

"You will again some day. And it will be the biggest hug you've ever had in your life. I will visit you every Saturday. At twelve sharp."

"I will be there, waiting for you."

"Take care Harley."

As Barbara walked out of the asylum to her car, a tear of her own escaped her eyes. With Sarah's death, and Harley in prison she knew her life would never be the same after this. She wouldn't have nobody to welcome her home after a long day at work. Nobody to waste the weekend away watching Netflix or going to the mall. Nobody to tell jokes or share a laugh with. That was all gone now.

When she started this crusade it was to protect Gotham from the criminal underworld. To give Gotham a savoir while Batman was away, she knew she had to fight for more now. She had to make sure that nothing like what happened with Joker and Harley ever happened again. She had to protect the Harley Quinn's of the world, and if that meant going hardEr on criminals to ensure it than so be it. She had to protect the fragile women out there from those who use them as puppets. For now on she was fighting for more than just the city, she was fighting for the fragile, for the weak. And she would bury anybody to threatened them.

There was still one thing that was bothering her when she arrived to Batcave, how on Earth did Alfred find her at Arkham. Confused on how Alfred pulled that off, she confronted him.

"I got to know Alfred, how did you do that?"

"Come again miss Gordon?"

"Back at the Asylum, how did you find me? How did you manage to disguise yourself like that? How did you manage to operate on me like that?"

"Oh Miss Gordon there is a lot about me you don't know. Like did you know I use to be a actor?"

"You?" Barbara gasped while chuckling.

"Ah yes, back in England in my youth I was a prime actor on the stage, I was able to disappear in a role and wore thick makeup and wigs to be unrecognizable. When Batman contacted me and told me of your plans to go after the Joker I disguised myself as a elderly man to follow you without being noticed. I even followed you after you got shot and when I figured out they were taking you to Arkham I hurried ahead and locked myself in the one free cell they had and waited for you.

As for how I healed you, After I was done with acting I spent time as a medic in the secret service, serving aid to the wounded soldiers who got injured in battle. I performed several surgeries, removing bullets and patching up people near the brink in battle. You should ask Bruce how many times I patched him up over the years. He probably has lost count."

"Wait so Bruce had you go after me? Even after the way I treated him?"

"Bruce may be tough on criminals, but he doesn't hold grudges, especially on his alleys. He still cares for you, and notices the good you are doing for this city. Even though he's miles away, he will always look after his alleys, and so will I."

Barbara couldn't believe it. She treated Bruce like hell unfairly for something she thought he did, and yet he had Alfred follow her, even when she didn't want to be followed, and as a result helped save her life.

"Alfred can you do something for me?"

"Anything Miss Gordon."

Barbara took out the recording Batarange from earlier, the same one she used to record Joker confession when dangling over the chimney. "Give this to him, let him no that the Joker is not his fault."

Alfred took the batarange "I will make sure he receives it Miss. Gordon."

"Good night Alfred."

Barbara turned to exit the bat cave, as she left she took out her phone and sent a text to Bruce.

" _Thank you."_

" _For what?"_ Bruce texted back

" _For sending Alfred after me."_

" _Anytime."_ Bruce's text read back

" _I'm sorry for earlier"_

" _Don't apologize."_

" _Sometimes I don't know how you are able to do this."_

" _Your doing fine."_

Barbara plopped into bed at her now empty apartment. She didn't know where she would go from here in her private life. If she would stay in the same apartment or move on. She did know however that she would keep fighting. For Sarah, for Harley, for everybody in need of justice. As Barbara closed her eyes, she made a vow that night.

"I might not have been able to save you Sarah, but I will make sure to honor your memory from here on out. Your death will not be for nothing. I will not let you down."

Barbara felt herself drifting to sleep but before she gave in to sleep she let out one last thing.

"I saved her Sarah, I saved Harley, I kept my promise. I kept it."

 **Post credit scene**

A young female prisoner about in her mid thirties was laying in the small bed inside her prison cell at Blackgate when she heard the cell door unlock.

"It's your lucky day prisoner number 13646, you've been paroled."

The woman was confused as to who paroled her, after all the only person who really cared for her had left Gotham almost two years ago. Regardless she gathered what few belongings she had and walked out of Blackgate a free woman, where she saw a black Cadillac waiting for her in the parking lot. A strange middle aged man waited for her in the Cadillac, he was bald with a half beard and small circular glasses. When she entered the vehicle the man spoke to her in a low spine chilling voice.

"Glad to finally meet your presence Miss Kyle, or should I call you by your other name, _Catwoman."_

"Do you mind telling me just who the hell you are, how you know who I am, what you want for me?"

"My name is Professor Hugo Strange, I am a Psychiatrist, and have made it my business to know all the criminals in Blackgate and Arkham. And as for what I want for you Miss Kyle? I am in need of your special skills."

"And just what will I be stealing?"

"That you will learn in good time."

"Why should I help you? What's in it for me?"

"Well I would hope that the fact that I am the only reason your free is enough reason to join me. As a bonus reward though you will be spared from what is about to come."

"Spared? From what?"

"From the cleansing of Gotham."

 **Batgirl will return in Batgirl: Demons. Coming Soon!**


End file.
